European Union (EU), yesterday, confirmed spending €88 million to support Nigeria’s anti-corruption efforts since 2005, even as it announced another €30 million to improve rule of law, tackle graft and reduce gender-based violence in the country for the next five years.

The bloc equally revealed that 35 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) had domesticated the European Union (VAPP) Act 2015 to address the menace.

EU Ambassador and Head of Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ms Samuela Isopi, made the disclosures at the formal launch of Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (ROLAC Phase II) Programme in Abuja.

The project is being implemented by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) and funded by the EU.

According to Isopi, the programme is to strengthen the rule of law and anti-graft fight, as well reduce gender-based violence, while promoting respect for human rights and ensuring inclusivity for all Nigerians.

While explaining that 1.5 million Nigerians were affected in the first phase of the scheme, the diplomat said the second phase, which is running for five years, would be implemented in Adamawa, Anambra, Edo, Kano, Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), with possibility of extension to two more states.

The EU envoy highlighted achievements of the first phase to include setting up and strengthening policies and processes; increased implementation and compliance with the Administration of Criminal Justice Law; increased inter-agency cooperation in the fight against corruption and synergies between government and civil society organisations; increased access to justice for survivors of Sexual and Gender Based Violence, through establishment of sexual assault referral centres and Special GBV courts, as well as improved protection of the rights of children.

The second phase, she noted, will focus on criminal justice, prison reform, curbing sexual and gender based violence, as well as strengthening and implementing anti-corruption policies and tools.

Isopi explained that the major obstacle to effective war on corruption in Nigeria remained enforcement, even as she expressed support for the country’s anti-graft crusade.

On his part, Head of Programme, Nigeria International IDEA, Danladi Plang, said the overall objective of the programme was consolidation of the rule of law and anti-corruption reforms in Nigeria.

He named Kano as the only state yet to domesticate the VAPP Act.

In his goodwill message, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Bagudu, represented by Dr Lanre Adekanye, observed that RoLAC Phase Il “identifies with the vision of the National Development Plan 2021-2025 for promotion of full participation of women in the economy as a strategy to substantially improve socio-economic indicators such as Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth, employment generation and poverty reduction.”

Also, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), represented by Director Planning Research and Statistics in the ministry, commended the leadership of RoLAC II Programme for their robust interface and quality programmes targeted at nation building.

He said the outcomes would further bridge the gaps in Criminal Justice and Administrative Reform and enhance systems and structures in the justice sector.

Besides, the European Union (EU) has released €1,000,000 (N847 million) in humanitarian funding to check the spread of diseases and assist most affected communities in Nigeria.

This is in response to the unprecedented diphtheria outbreak in the country.  The fund is in addition to the €150,000 it allocated to the Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF) of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) in March 2023 to control the epidemic.

According to the EU, the new funding would enable the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the medical NGO, ALIMA, to provide technical and staff support to frontline health agencies to enhance surveillance and case detection, treatment of cases, community awareness and assist with vaccines.