Olukoyede: Integrity Vital For West Africa’s Development

The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and President of the Network of Anti-Corruption Institutions in West Africa (NACIWA), Ola Olukoyede, has said integrity is essential to achieving sustainable development and strengthening public institutions across West Africa.

Speaking on Tuesday at the opening of a two-day leadership conference for heads of anti-corruption agencies in Abuja, Olukoyede warned that corruption continues to undermine economic integration, democratic governance, peace and development in the region.

“Without integrity in public institutions, the promises of economic integration, democratic governance, peace and sustainable development cannot be realised,” he said, adding that corruption erodes public confidence, diverts resources from essential services, distorts markets and threatens state legitimacy.

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Olukoyede noted that corruption has become increasingly transnational, with illicit financial flows crossing multiple jurisdictions in seconds, while emerging technologies have created new opportunities for financial crimes.

He said artificial intelligence presents significant opportunities for intelligence gathering, risk assessment and institutional efficiency but also raises concerns over governance, ethics, accountability and data integrity.

According to him, the conference marks the beginning of a long-term commitment to leadership development, institutional capacity building and regional cooperation among anti-corruption agencies.

He stressed that anti-graft institutions must be equipped to investigate complex cases, tackle influential individuals and respond to evolving financial crimes while maintaining professionalism, due process and respect for the rule of law.

“Our institutions must be built to outlive us.

They must have clear systems, credible governance arrangements, professional personnel, reliable technology and cultures that preserve integrity across successive leadership transitions,” he said.

Delivering the NACIWA Distinguished Leadership Lecture, Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), said West Africa is at a defining moment where citizens demand accountable governments, transparent economies and credible public institutions.

He argued that fighting corruption requires more than strong laws, insisting that transformational leadership is needed to uphold the rule of law, protect institutional independence and strengthen public confidence.

Fagbemi warned that public office should never become “a licence for self-enrichment” and reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to combating corruption through strong institutions and faithful enforcement of the law.

The maiden conference, attended by anti-corruption leaders and delegates from several West African countries, is expected to produce the Abuja Leadership Declaration.

The declaration is expected to outline shared standards, institutional priorities and cooperative actions to strengthen anti-corruption efforts across the region.