The Bailiwick of Jersey and the Federal Government of Nigeria have concluded arrangements for the return of over $9.5 million traced to proceeds of corruption, with the funds set to support a major federal road project.
The agreement was formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding signed in December 2025 by Jersey’s Attorney General, Mark Temple KC.
The MoU authorises the transfer of the recovered money to Nigeria, where it will be deployed toward the Abuja–Kano Road project.
The repatriation follows a civil forfeiture action pursued by Jersey authorities after investigations uncovered suspicious funds lodged in a local bank account.
On November 29, 2023, the Jersey Attorney General approached the Royal Court under the Forfeiture of Assets (Civil Proceedings) (Jersey) Law 2018, seeking the confiscation of the assets.
On January 12, 2024, the court granted the forfeiture request, ruling that the funds were, on the balance of probabilities, proceeds of corruption arising from the diversion of public resources by contractors acting for the benefit of senior Nigerian officials and their associates.
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The latest agreement builds on a history of collaboration between Jersey and Nigeria. Through two earlier MoUs, more than $300 million had already been returned to Nigeria to finance key infrastructure, including the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway, the Second Niger Bridge, and sections of the Abuja–Kano Road.
While the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway and the Second Niger Bridge have since been completed, the newly repatriated funds are expected to support the final phase of work on the 375-kilometre Abuja–Kano Road linking Abuja to Kano.
Commenting on the development, Mark Temple KC said the outcome highlighted the effectiveness of Jersey’s legal tools against corruption.
“This successful return demonstrates the strength of our civil forfeiture legislation as a powerful tool in the fight against corruption,” he said. “I thank the Nigerian authorities for their cooperation and the Economic Crime and Confiscation Unit in my Department for their unwavering commitment to recovering the proceeds of crime.”
Nigeria’s Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), described the asset recovery as evidence of Nigeria’s commitment to international cooperation against corruption.
“The successful recovery and repatriation of the forfeited assets underscore the effectiveness of Nigeria’s collaborative efforts with its international partners in ensuring there is no safe haven for illicitly acquired wealth moved to foreign jurisdictions,” Fagbemi said.
He also commended Jersey’s support and pledged strict adherence to the agreement governing the use of the funds, adding: “I want to further assure the Bailiwick of Jersey that the repatriated assets will be judiciously utilised in accordance with the terms of the executed Memorandum of Understanding.”
