The Federal Government has declared that its intensified focus on digitalisation and strict accountability frameworks is effectively sealing the systemic loopholes that previously allowed corruption and financial crimes to flourish in the country.
This assertion was made by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, during the National Anti-Money Laundering and Counter Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Media Outreach Programme held in Abuja on Tuesday.
Represented by Dr. Dili Ezughah, the Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Press Council, the Minister emphasized that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration has implemented deliberate regulatory and tech-driven steps to curb illicit financial flows.
According to the Minister, ongoing reforms supported by the Central Bank of Nigeria are restoring economic confidence and improving transparency.
He highlighted the pivotal role of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) and other agencies in upgrading the country’s financial intelligence systems.
This inter-agency collaboration, he noted, has significantly improved the monitoring of suspicious transactions, bolstered the enforcement of global anti-money laundering standards, and increased the state’s capacity to detect and investigate financial crimes.
While outlining the government’s digital and regulatory strides, Idris stressed that sustaining these gains requires the active, unyielding participation of the press.
He described the media not merely as a societal observer, but as a powerful force capable of shaping national perception and enforcing accountability.
Through investigative journalism, accurate reporting, and sustained public enlightenment, he noted, the media empowers citizens and fortifies the anti-corruption crusade.
The Minister also acknowledged the practical hurdles journalists face, particularly the complexities of reporting on sophisticated financial crimes, resource constraints, the spread of misinformation, and safety concerns.
To overcome these barriers, he advocated for deeper institutional collaboration, timely access to credible information, and targeted capacity-building for reporters to maintain high ethical standards in specialized beats.
On the regional front, Idris reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to working closely with international partners, such as the Intergovernmental Action Group Against Money Laundering in West Africa, to aggressively combat cross-border financial crimes.
Reassuring the press of his ministry’s continuous support, Idris called for a united front in the war against graft.
He concluded that the fight against corruption remains a shared responsibility, noting that a synergy between the government and the media is the only way to build a nation where transparency is the standard and corruption has no place to hide.
