The European Union (EU) has officially removed Nigeria from its list of High-Risk Third Country Jurisdictions.
This decision follows Nigeria’s successful exit from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) “grey list” in late 2025, signaling international recognition of the country’s improved anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CFT) frameworks.
The development is expected to ease trade, payments and investment flows between the country and Europe
The European Commission confirmed that Nigeria, alongside South Africa, Burkina Faso, Mali, Mozambique and Tanzania, had strengthened its AML/CFT regimes and no longer posed “strategic deficiencies” under EU assessment standards.
The commission noted that the affected countries had implemented reforms that brought their financial systems in line with international standards set by the FATF.
Reacting to the development, the Minister of State for Finance, Mrs Doris Uzoka-Anite, described Nigeria’s removal from the list as a major boost to investor confidence.
On a post on X on Thursday, she wrote, “Big win for Nigeria! Removed from EU’s financial ‘high-risk’ list!Congrats to President @officialABAT on this achievement. As Minister of State for Finance, I’m proud of this boost to trade and investor confidence.”
Being on the EU’s high-risk list previously meant that transactions with European partners required enhanced due diligence, stricter documentation, and additional oversight.
Nigerian businesses and banks faced increased scrutiny, which slowed cross-border trade and complicated investment flows.
The lifting of enhanced due diligence requirements is scheduled to take effect on January 29, 2026, following confirmation by the Commission confirmed that Nigeria has addressed strategic deficiencies and strengthened its financial governance through critical legislative reforms, such as the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act.
The development could have a series of positive impact including the provision of several immediate and long-term benefits as well as reduction of compliance costs.
As a result, EU financial institutions will no longer be legally required to apply “enhanced due diligence” to transactions involving Nigeria, which previously involved more intrusive checks and rigorous documentation.
It will also enhance smoother cross-border trade by simplifying trade and payment flows between Nigeria and European partners, reducing the complexity and time required for transactions.
Nigerian officials, including the Minister of State for Finance, have highlighted this as a “major boost” to investor confidence, positioning Nigeria as a more credible destination for international capital.