The Bailiwick of Jersey has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to facilitate the return of more than $9.5 million in funds adjudged to be proceeds of corruption, with the recovered assets to be deployed for critical infrastructure development in Nigeria.
His Majesty’s Attorney General for Jersey, Mark Temple KC, signed the MoU in December 2025, paving the way for the repatriation of the funds to Nigeria to support ongoing infrastructure projects.
The funds were forfeited following an application filed on 29 November 2023 by the Attorney General of Jersey before the Royal Court under the Forfeiture of Assets (Civil Proceedings) (Jersey) Law 2018. On 12 January 2024, the Royal Court granted a forfeiture order, having determined that the monies held in a Jersey bank account were, more likely than not, the proceeds of a corrupt scheme in which third-party contractors diverted government funds for the benefit of senior Nigerian officials and their associates.
The latest MoU builds on two previous agreements between Jersey and Nigeria, under which more than $300 million has already been repatriated to Nigeria. Those earlier recoveries supported three major infrastructure projects—the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, the Second Niger Bridge, and the Abuja-Kano Road. While the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and the Second Niger Bridge have been completed, the newly recovered funds will be applied to the final stages of the Abuja-Kano Road project.
The Abuja-Kano Road, spanning approximately 375 kilometres, is a key transport corridor linking Nigeria’s capital city, Abuja, with Kano, the country’s second-largest city, and is expected to significantly boost economic activities and connectivity along the route.
Commenting on the development, Jersey’s Attorney General, Mark Temple KC, said the successful return of the funds highlighted the effectiveness of the island’s civil forfeiture framework in tackling corruption.
“This successful return demonstrates the strength of our civil forfeiture legislation as a powerful tool in the fight against corruption. 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,” he said.
Also reacting, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, described the recovery as a testament to Nigeria’s growing international collaboration in combating illicit financial flows.
“The successful recovery and repatriation of the forfeited assets underscore the effectiveness of Nigeria’s collaborative efforts with its international partners in ensuring that there is no safe haven for illicitly acquired wealth moved to foreign jurisdictions,” Fagbemi said.
He expressed appreciation to the Bailiwick of Jersey for its cooperation throughout the recovery process and assured that the repatriated funds would be judiciously utilised in line with the provisions of the executed MoU.
