The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and President of the Network of Anti-Corruption Institutions in West Africa (NACIWA), Ola Olukoyede, has described integrity as the foundation for sustainable development, warning that corruption remains a major threat to governance, economic growth, and regional stability.
Olukoyede made the remarks on Tuesday during the opening of the maiden Leadership Conference for Heads of National Anti-Corruption Institutions in West Africa, held at the New ECOWAS Secretariat in Abuja.
He said public institutions lacking integrity cannot deliver on the promises of economic integration, democratic governance, peace, and sustainable development, stressing that corruption weakens public trust, diverts resources from essential services, distorts markets, and undermines national security.
The EFCC chairman also warned that corruption has become increasingly transnational, with illicit financial flows crossing multiple jurisdictions within seconds through digital platforms and emerging technologies.
Speaking on the growing influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Olukoyede said the technology offers significant opportunities for intelligence gathering, risk assessment, and institutional efficiency but also presents new governance, ethical, and accountability challenges that anti-corruption agencies must address.
According to him, the conference was designed to strengthen leadership, institutional capacity, and regional cooperation among anti-corruption agencies across West Africa.
He noted that effective anti-corruption work requires agencies to investigate powerful interests, tackle evolving financial crimes, uphold due process, and maintain public confidence through professionalism and respect for the rule of law.
“Our institutions must be built to outlive us. They must have strong systems, credible governance, professional personnel, reliable technology, and cultures that preserve integrity beyond successive leadership transitions,” Olukoyede said.
Delivering the NACIWA Distinguished Leadership Lecture, Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), said West Africa is at a defining moment where leadership must be judged by the strength and credibility of institutions rather than public pronouncements.
He stressed that public office is not a license for self-enrichment, insisting that leaders entrusted with public resources must remain accountable. Fagbemi reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to combating corruption through strong institutions and strict enforcement of the law.
The two-day conference attracted heads of anti-corruption agencies and delegates from several West African countries, including Ghana, Sierra Leone, Cape Verde, Togo, The Gambia, and Senegal.
Participants are expected to adopt the Abuja Leadership Declaration, a framework outlining shared leadership standards, institutional priorities, and regional cooperation strategies aimed at strengthening anti-corruption efforts across West Africa.
