Tinubu to ECOWAS: Declare Resource Theft an International Crime

Tinubu’s Call for Regional Action

At the opening of the 7th Annual General Meeting of the Network of National Anti-Corruption Institutions in West Africa (NACIWA) in Abuja, President Bola Tinubu called on ECOWAS to recognise illegal mining, mineral smuggling, and cross-border resource theft as international crimes.

Represented by Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, the President said these activities are fuelling insecurity and depriving African economies of billions in annual revenue.

“Stealing of mineral resources is on the rise in the region, fuelling small-arms proliferation and violent crimes such as kidnapping and banditry.
The time has come for ECOWAS to designate resource theft as an international crime that threatens regional stability,”
Tinubu said.

🌍 Illicit Flows and Security Link

Tinubu lamented that despite years of reforms, illicit financial flows and corruption still undermine the region’s growth.
He emphasized that Nigeria’s administration has prioritised asset tracing and recovery, backed by a new legal framework to ensure recovered funds are channelled into productive use.

“Our commitment is to ensure that recovered stolen assets become enablers of growth and instruments of social inclusion,”
he added, citing the Students Loan Scheme and Consumer Credit Scheme as examples funded from recovered proceeds of crime.

🔎 Regional Cooperation Through NACIWA

EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede, who also serves as President of NACIWA, told delegates that corruption has taken on trans-border dimensions, requiring intelligence sharing and coordinated legal action.

“Our institutions must operate with collective strength,” he said. “Political transitions, governance challenges, and insecurity across the sub-region show that our fight cannot be divorced from broader issues of stability.”

Attorney-General Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) and Senator Emmanuel Udende, Chair of the Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption, also pledged legislative and institutional support for the initiative.

🌐 From National Policy to Regional Law

Analysts say Tinubu’s appeal reflects Nigeria’s ambition to lead West Africa’s security-governance nexus — positioning resource protection as both an economic and peace-building priority.
If adopted, ECOWAS would pioneer a continental framework for cross-border anti-mineral theft enforcement, potentially influencing the African Union’s 2063 Agenda on sustainable resource use.

💰 Winners & Losers

Winners: Legitimate miners, local communities, and compliant investors stand to gain from improved regulation and safer investment climates.
Losers: Smuggling syndicates, illegal operators, and corrupt networks facing regional blacklisting and prosecution.

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