By Muhammad Mamman
Nigeria has been officially removed from the European Union’s list of high-risk jurisdictions for money laundering and the financing of terrorism, a development that marks a significant milestone in the country’s drive to restore confidence in its financial system and deepen economic ties with Europe. 
The European Commission confirmed on Wednesday that Nigeria, alongside South Africa, Burkina Faso, Mali, Mozambique and Tanzania, has been delisted from the bloc’s “high-risk third country jurisdiction” list after making substantial progress in strengthening its anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorism financing (CFT) frameworks. 
Under EU regulations, countries designated as high risk are subject to enhanced due diligence, stricter documentation and intensified scrutiny in financial transactions with European partners. Removal from the list, due to reforms that align Nigeria’s financial systems with international standards set by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), is expected to make cross-border trade and investment smoother and less costly. 
Reacting to the announcement, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Finance, Dr Doris Uzoka-Anite, described the decision as a major confidence booster for the economy. In a post on X, she hailed the “big win” for Nigeria and congratulated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the achievement, saying the delisting will help “boost trade and investor confidence.” 
The Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, echoed these sentiments, saying the removal from the EU’s high-risk list signals to global investors that Nigeria is committed to maintaining a stable, transparent and credible financial environment. He noted that the decision builds on Nigeria’s exit from the FATF grey list in October 2025, following successful implementation of its action plan to address earlier systemic deficiencies. 
Officials say the delisting will ease enhanced due diligence requirements for Nigerian banks, businesses and individual investors engaging with European markets and could strengthen correspondent banking relationships, facilitate remittances, and attract fresh foreign capital. 
The Federal Government has welcomed the development as a clear endorsement of its ongoing reforms, vowing to sustain and deepen AML/CFT efforts in collaboration with international partners to ensure Nigeria’s financial sector remains resilient and globally competitive. 
The updated EU regulation is due to take effect on 29 January 2026, pending procedural approval by the European Parliament and Council. 
