The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to the fight against financial crimes and the recovery and repatriation of illicit financial flows to Nigeria. Olukoyede gave the assurance while speaking at the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) Conference in Doha, Qatar, during a side event themed “Recovering the Loot Is an Obstacle Course: New Mechanisms?” The event was jointly organised by the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre), Nigeria; the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), South Africa; the EFCC, Nigeria; and Integrity Initiatives International. He described asset recovery as a core pillar of Nigeria’s anti-corruption strategy and highlighted achievements recorded by the EFCC over the past two years, including increased prosecutions, recovery of proceeds of crime, forfeiture of luxury assets, and restitution to victims, both locally and internationally. According to him, the commission has strengthened collaboration with international partners, leading to the recovery and repatriation of funds and assets traced to jurisdictions such as Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. He also cited the application of non-conviction-based asset recovery mechanisms under the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Act (POCA), 2022, which he said has improved transparency in asset management and enhanced restitution to victims. Speaking on challenges confronting the commission, Olukoyede identified the complexity of cross-border asset recovery as a major obstacle, noting that differences in legal frameworks and limited cooperation from some countries often delay recovery efforts. He also raised concerns about the role of corrupt professional networks, including lawyers and financial experts, who facilitate financial crimes across borders. Also speaking at the event, the Head and Chief Executive of South Africa’s Special Investigating Unit, Advocate Andy Mothibi, emphasised the importance of asset recovery in the global anti-corruption fight. He noted that several African anti-graft agencies have adopted legislative and institutional frameworks similar to Nigeria’s EFCC model, including asset forfeiture units, specialised investigation teams, and dedicated tribunals to handle corruption-related cases. The participants at the session called on both state and non-state actors to intensify support for anti-corruption efforts, protect whistleblowers, and back the establishment of an International Anti-Corruption Court. In his remarks, Hon. Allan Rock, former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and a board member of Integrity Initiatives International, underscored the need for an international anti-corruption court, saying ongoing work on the draft framework aims to produce a representative document for consideration by governments by 2026. Similarly, the Special Envoy for Anti-Corruption at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Ambassador Caroline Weijers, stressed that corruption undermines all sectors of society and must be tackled collectively. She called for principled, selfless leadership, stronger regional cooperation, and sustained legal and institutional reforms to combat corruption globally.