EU Removes Nigeria, Five Other African States From Financial High-Risk List
The European Union has officially removed Nigeria and five other African countries from its list of “high-risk third-country jurisdictions” for money laundering and terrorism financing.
The other countries delisted are South Africa, Burkina Faso, Mali, Mozambique and Tanzania.
The decision follows the countries’ successful exit from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list after implementing reforms aimed at strengthening their anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CFT) frameworks. In October 2025, the FATF announced Nigeria’s removal from its list of jurisdictions with identified AML/CFT deficiencies.
Confirming the development on Wednesday, the European Commission said the affected countries had addressed key strategic weaknesses in their financial systems and now meet international standards set by the FATF. The commission noted that the reforms undertaken were sufficient to justify their removal from the EU’s financial high-risk list.
With enhanced due diligence measures expected to be lifted from January 29, the delisting is projected to ease trade and payment transactions, lower compliance costs and improve investor confidence in the affected economies.
Reacting to the development, the Minister of State for Finance, Doris Uzoka-Anite, described Nigeria’s removal from the list as a significant achievement, noting that it represents a boost for trade and investor confidence in the country.
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