Presidency hails EFCC’s growth, unveils performance charter

The Presidency has praised the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for its remarkable transformation since inception, describing the agency as one of Nigeria’s fastest-growing institutions in effectiveness and professionalism.

Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination and Head of the Central Results Delivery Coordination Unit (CRDCU), Hadiza Bala Usman, made the commendation on Thursday, October 16, 2025, during the submission of the Commission’s Performance Charter to EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

Bala Usman lauded the EFCC’s steady evolution since its establishment in 2000, noting that the anti-graft body has continuously improved its systems, operations, and public impact.

> “Every day you visit EFCC, you see improvement. I’m not sure any organization in Nigeria has grown the way EFCC has grown from 2000 to date,” she said. “You should all be proud of what you’ve built.”

She explained that the Performance Charter was developed with technical input from experts supported by the Foreign Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) and Partnership for Agile Governance and Climate Engagement (PACE). The document, she said, establishes a framework for measuring EFCC’s performance monthly, quarterly, and annually, ensuring transparency and accountability in line with its mandate.

According to her, the Charter aligns with global performance standards and sets clear Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for each department and zonal office. It aims to enhance data-driven decision-making, track progress, and strengthen institutional integrity.

The next step, she added, would be the validation session to enable EFCC staff to review the document and provide feedback before its final adoption.

In his remarks, EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede commended Bala Usman for her commitment to inter-agency coordination, which he said had been lacking in past administrations. He emphasized that proper policy alignment was critical to evaluating performance across government agencies.

“In the past, we had silo performances without proper coordination. That is why I was delighted about this initiative,” Olukoyede stated. “Every aspect of our mandate now has a policy driving it. Without that, performance measurement becomes difficult.”

He highlighted the importance of linking asset recovery to national impact, stressing that coordination and policy reforms were necessary to ensure recovered assets benefit the broader society.

Olukoyede, however, noted that the Performance Charter did not address the Commission’s funding challenges, calling for reforms that would allow EFCC access to a small percentage of its recoveries to sustain critical operations.

“I recover money, but I can’t touch it. If you give me even five percent of what I recover, I won’t need to go before the National Assembly asking for funds,” he said.

He assured that the EFCC would continue to leverage technology, data, and reforms to improve its operations, prosecution outcomes, and financial crime prevention.

The event was attended by senior officials from both the EFCC and the Central Results Delivery Coordination Unit.