The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) have received international recognition for their collaboration in combating financial crimes, earning the prestigious UNODC–World Bank–Egmont Group Stolen Asset Recovery (StAR) Initiative Award.
The award was presented during the 32nd Egmont Group Plenary of Heads of Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs), held in Baku, Azerbaijan, from July 5 to 10, 2026, according to a statement issued on Friday by the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale.
The StAR Initiative Award is regarded as one of the highest operational honours in the global financial intelligence community. It recognises exceptional cases where the effective exchange and professional analysis of financial intelligence have advanced investigations, disrupted illicit financial networks, and contributed significantly to the recovery of stolen assets and the pursuit of justice.
According to the Egmont Group, the award is reserved for outstanding cases that demonstrate innovation, international cooperation, operational effectiveness, and measurable impact in the global fight against financial crime.
The organisation noted that the winning collaboration between the EFCC and the NFIU has become a model for domestic and international intelligence sharing. It said the case highlighted how intelligence generated by the NFIU strengthened the EFCC’s investigations, ultimately leading to the recovery of substantial stolen assets.
The Egmont Group added that the Nigerian case exemplified the benefits of secure and timely intelligence sharing between national institutions and international partners in tackling illicit financial flows and improving asset recovery efforts.
The annual Egmont Group Plenary serves as the organisation’s principal decision-making forum, bringing together heads of Financial Intelligence Units from member countries to exchange expertise, discuss strategic priorities, and strengthen global cooperation against financial crimes.
This year’s plenary featured discussions on strengthening public-private partnerships to address the increasingly complex nature of financial crimes and enhance collaboration between Financial Intelligence Units and other stakeholders.
The Egmont Group comprises 180-member Financial Intelligence Units worldwide and is dedicated to improving the exchange of financial intelligence to detect, deter, and disrupt financial crime through enhanced international cooperation.
