By Ayomide Otitoju
Authorities in Jersey, a British Crown Dependency in the Channel Islands, are set to return over $9.5 million (£7 million) to the Nigerian government to support infrastructure projects.
The repatriation follows a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in December between Jersey’s Attorney General, Mark Temple KC, and Nigeria’s Federal Government. The MoU builds on previous agreements between the two countries that facilitated the return of more than $300 million previously held in a Jersey bank account.
Nigeria’s Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, said the funds would be used “in line with the terms” of the agreement. “The successful recovery and repatriation of the forfeited assets underscores the effectiveness of Nigeria’s collaborative efforts with its international partners in ensuring that there is no safe haven for illicitly acquired wealth,” he added.
Fagbemi said the money will specifically fund the final stages of a highway linking Abuja and Lagos.
For Temple, the return highlights “the strength of our civil forfeiture legislation as a powerful tool in the fight against corruption.”
The funds were originally identified in 2024 by the Royal Court as likely proceeds of a corrupt scheme in which third-party contractors diverted government funds “for the benefit of senior Nigerian officials and their associates.” The money was recovered during former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, but its return had been delayed by legal issues.
