Tinubu Commends EFCC, Cites 10,872 Convictions and Over N1.2 Trillion Recovered

• President Tinubu praised the EFCC at the commissioning of a new Zonal Directorate in Awka, Anambra State on Friday, October 2, 2026
• EFCC chairman Ola Olukoyede revealed the commission secured 10,872 convictions and recovered over N1.2 trillion between October 2023 and July 2026
• The new Zonal Directorate is expected to focus heavily on corruption prevention alongside law enforcement across the zone

President Bola Tinubu praised the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday, October 2, 2026, describing its record of convictions and asset recoveries as proof that the agency has earned the trust placed in it.

Tinubu spoke at the commissioning of a new EFCC Zonal Directorate in Awka, Anambra State. He was represented at the event by Tajudeen Abbas, Speaker of the House of Representatives.

"Supporting the EFCC is not particularly difficult. The agency has consistently demonstrated that the confidence reposed on it is well founded. Without mincing words, the evidential proof of the EFCC's success speaks loudly in convictions secured, assets and properties recovered," Tinubu said.

The president said the commission's work aligns with two of his nine-point Renewed Hope Agenda priorities: economic reform and the promotion of good governance. He argued that the EFCC's emphasis on accountability and transparency directly supports both objectives.

EFCC's record over 34 months

EFCC Executive Chairman Ola Olukoyede provided a detailed breakdown of the commission's performance between October 2023 and July 2026. He said the agency received 49,673 petitions, investigated 39,615 cases, filed 14,476 cases in court, and secured 10,872 convictions, giving a conviction-to-filing ratio of 75.1 per cent.

In the first half of 2026 alone, the commission recorded 1,370 convictions from 1,889 filings. On the financial recovery side, Olukoyede said the EFCC recovered N1,233,612,040,411.11, $684,478,457.32, £373,905.78, and €9,343,803.66, in addition to amounts in other currencies.

Olukoyede also outlined institutional reforms introduced during this period, including new guidelines on arrest and bail, a review of sting operations, and the creation of several new units: the Department of Fraud Risk Assessment and Control, a Security Department, an Immigration and Visa Section, and a Cybercrime Rapid Response Centre.

New directorate's mandate

On the role the new Awka directorate would play, Olukoyede said it would go beyond prosecution to actively prevent corruption before it occurs.

"This new Directorate will not only enforce the law professionally and courageously, it will be high on corruption prevention. It will engage government institutions, businesses, financial institutions, professional bodies, schools, markets, civil society organisations, traditional institutions, religious bodies and communities. It will educate stakeholders, build relationships and mobilise the people to own the fight against all forms of corrupt practices in the zone," he said.

He assured Nigerians that the EFCC would not ease up in pursuing its mandate, calling the progress recorded over the past 34 months impressive and a foundation for further gains.

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