Nigeria Launches Chapter of Global Women in AML/CFT/CPF Network to Boost Leadership
By Patience Ikpeme
The Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) will lead the launch of the Nigeria Chapter of the Women in AML/CFT/CPF Network on October 6, 2026, signalling a renewed push to deepen women’s leadership and professional development across the country’s anti-money laundering and counter-financing ecosystem.
Hafsat Abubakar Bakari, Chief Executive Officer of the NFIU and Nigeria’s National Correspondent to the Inter-Governmental Action Group Against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA), said the initiative will strengthen collaboration between public and private sector actors involved in financial integrity work. “The Women in AML/CFT/CPF Network will provide a platform for experienced professionals in both public and private sectors to mentor the next generation, encourage greater collaboration across institutions and ensure that more women are equipped to take on leadership roles,” she said.
The Nigeria Chapter aligns with the global Women in AML/CFT/CPF movement, which began under the Financial Action Task Force’s Singapore Presidency and expanded under the Mexico Presidency of Elisa de Anda Madrazo. The network seeks to advance mentorship, knowledge sharing, leadership development and professional excellence among women working in financial intelligence, investigations, regulation and compliance.
“Women have made significant contributions across Nigeria’s AML/CFT/CPF landscape,” Ms. Bakari added, noting their roles in regulation and supervision, compliance and risk management, legal advisory, fintech innovation and corporate governance. “This initiative recognises those contributions and will help create pathways for more women to lead and shape the future of financial integrity in Nigeria.”
The Nigeria Chapter will convene women from Financial Intelligence Units, law enforcement agencies, regulatory bodies, financial institutions, designated non-financial businesses and professions, academia and development organisations. Activities will include mentorship programmes, technical exchanges, networking opportunities and capacity-building initiatives designed to strengthen professional skills and institutional collaboration across the AML/CFT/CPF community.
As part of a broader regional strategy, the NFIU will advocate through GIABA for a West Africa Chapter of the Women in AML/CFT/CPF Network. The regional chapter aims to replicate Nigeria’s model across neighbouring countries, expanding access to mentorship, professional development and knowledge sharing while reinforcing regional cooperation against money laundering, illicit financing and proliferation financing.
“The launch of the Nigeria Chapter is not only about inclusion; it is about improving the effectiveness of Nigeria’s response to financial crime by mobilising the talent and leadership of women across the ecosystem,” the NFIU said in a statement, calling on women across the AML/CFT/CPF space to join the network and contribute to a more connected, innovative and resilient community.
The NFIU expects the initiative to produce short-term capacity gains through training and exchanges, and longer-term institutional benefits by increasing the representation of women in senior AML/CFT/CPF roles and fostering stronger cross-border cooperation in West Africa.
