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 stressed that integrity remains the foundation for sustainable development and effective governance across West Africa.
Olukoyede made the remarks on Tuesday during the opening of the maiden NACIWA Leadership Conference for Heads of National Anti-Corruption Institutions at the ECOWAS Commission Headquarters in Abuja.
He said the region’s anti-corruption agencies must strengthen their institutions and embrace transformational leadership to effectively respond to increasingly sophisticated financial crimes and governance challenges.
According to him, while artificial intelligence has significantly improved information gathering, analysis and intelligence development, it also presents new concerns relating to governance, ethics, accountability, data integrity and institutional preparedness.
Olukoyede explained that the conference was conceived as more than a training programme, describing it as a platform to institutionalise leadership development, peer learning and stronger collaboration among anti-corruption agencies in West Africa.
He said the initiative demonstrates the collective resolve of member institutions to strengthen the region’s integrity framework and build resilient anti-corruption organisations capable of delivering long-term results.
The conference brought together heads of anti-corruption agencies across West Africa, including the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau, Abdullahi Bello, representatives of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and other senior officials.
Discussions during the two-day event focused on transformational leadership, institutional independence, accountability, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, intelligence-led investigations, judicial collaboration, transnational corruption, cross-border cooperation, asset recovery and corporate governance.
Speaking on the demands of modern anti-corruption work, Olukoyede said agencies are expected to investigate complex financial crimes, prosecute influential suspects, safeguard sensitive investigations and maintain public confidence, all while observing due process, professionalism and the rule of law.
He stressed that meeting these responsibilities requires strategic leadership rather than technical competence alone.
“Our institutions must be built to outlive us,” he said, adding that strong governance systems, professional personnel, reliable technology and enduring institutional values are essential for sustainable anti-corruption efforts.
He further warned that without integrity in public institutions, the goals of economic integration, democratic governance, peace and sustainable development in West Africa would remain unattainable.
According to him, corruption continues to undermine public confidence, divert resources from critical public services, distort markets, weaken security and erode the legitimacy of governments.
Olukoyede also observed that corruption has become increasingly transnational, with criminal networks exploiting digital platforms and emerging technologies to facilitate illicit financial flows, fraud and other financial crimes across multiple jurisdictions.
Delivering the NACIWA Distinguished Leadership Lecture, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), said West Africa is at a defining moment where the strength of its institutions, rather than political rhetoric, will determine its future.
He said citizens across the region are demanding transparent governments, accountable leadership and institutions they can trust.
According to Fagbemi, effective anti-corruption efforts require courageous and visionary leadership capable of protecting the rule of law, preserving institutional independence and leaving behind stronger institutions for future generations.
He also warned that public office should never be viewed as an avenue for personal enrichment, stressing that public officials must remain accountable for the management of public resources.
The Attorney-General reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to combating corruption through effective institutions and strict enforcement of existing laws.
Other speakers at the conference included former ICPC Chairmen, Dr. Olubunmi Ajayi and Professor Bolaji Owasanoye, alongside Mr. Dein Whyte and Dr. Arabi D. I.
The conference, attended by delegates from Ghana, Sierra Leone, Cape Verde, Togo, The Gambia, Senegal and several other West African countries, is expected to produce the Abuja Leadership Declaration, a framework outlining shared leadership standards, institutional priorities and collaborative strategies for strengthening anti-corruption efforts across the region.
