As part of efforts to drive legislative reforms, strengthen institutions and harmonise stolen assets recovery protocols under the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Act, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is working with civil advocates and law enforcement agencies to strengthen support and enforcement capacities.
 
At a one-day capacity-building workshop in Abuja, the agency stressed the need for increased understanding of the Act to boost Nigeria’s anti-corruption fight.
 
In partnership with the World Bank-supported Stolen Asset Recovery Initiative (STAR), the UNODC said it would sustain its support to Nigeria in terms of technical assistance, capacity development, strategic policy dialogues and multi-stakeholder engagements.
 
Country Representative of the UNODC, Cheikh Touré, noted that the agency’s long-term partnership with Nigeria had driven legislative reforms, strengthened institutions and harmonised assets recovery protocols to align with the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) obligations.

The partnership, he added, had promoted data-driven policy formulation and empirical research to advance good governance and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
 
Represented by the Programme Coordinator, Anti-Corruption of the UNODC, Princess Chifiero, he said: “Under the Stolen Assets Recovery (STAR) Initiative with the World Bank Group, UNODC has enhanced Nigeria’s legislative, investigative, judicial and enforcement capacities for recovering stolen assets abroad.