The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has pledged to enhance its collaboration with the French government in key areas such as asset tracking, cybercrime investigations, and security training. This commitment was formalized during a high-level meeting in Abuja on March 4, 2025, when Lieutenant General Régis Colombet, Director of Security and Defence Cooperation at the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, visited EFCC Chairman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, at the Commission’s headquarters.
During the discussion, Colombet emphasized France’s extensive efforts in security cooperation, particularly in establishing academic and training centers across Africa. He referenced the Cyber School in Dakar, Senegal, where French experts provide specialized training on cyber investigations, ransomware threats, and asset-tracing techniques. Additionally, he highlighted a counterterrorism academy in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, as part of France’s broader commitment to enhancing regional security.
Colombet stressed the importance of international partnerships in addressing financial crimes that transcend borders. He reaffirmed France’s dedication to equipping EFCC personnel with specialized training, including opportunities in France, to strengthen expertise in cybersecurity and financial crime investigations. He also noted that this visit followed a strategic meeting in December 2024, reinforcing ongoing efforts to implement effective collaboration between Nigeria and France across multiple security sectors.
Responding to the partnership, Olukoyede welcomed the initiative, acknowledging the long-standing relationship between the two nations in combating financial crimes. He underscored the need for greater cooperation in tackling cybercrime, money laundering, and other transnational offenses, given the increasing sophistication of financial criminals. He pointed to a recent EFCC success in dismantling an international syndicate with links across Europe and Asia, which had been attempting to establish operations in Nigeria.
Olukoyede emphasized that several victims of this syndicate were based in France, further highlighting the necessity of sustained global partnerships to prevent such crimes. He reiterated the EFCC’s commitment to ensuring that criminal networks do not find safe havens anywhere, as their activities often intersect with arms trafficking and terrorism. Strengthening intelligence-sharing and enforcement strategies, he noted, is crucial to maintaining security and preventing civil unrest linked to financial crimes.
The EFCC chairman assured the French delegation of the Commission’s dedication to deepening its engagement with the French embassy and security attaché in Nigeria. He expressed appreciation for France’s role in capacity development, noting that crime detection in Nigeria differs significantly from Europe, where digital records are more easily accessible. By integrating Nigeria’s investigative expertise with France’s technological advancements, he believes a more robust crime-fighting framework can be developed to enhance security efforts in both countries.
