Nigeria is set to receive more than $9.5 million recovered from the Bailiwick of Jersey following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Jersey authorities and the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The MoU was signed in December 2025 by His Majesty’s Attorney General for Jersey, Mark Temple KC, paving the way for the repatriation of the funds, which were identified as proceeds of corruption. The agreement was formally confirmed in Abuja on Friday, January 9, 2026, according to a statement issued by the British High Commission, signed by Stephen Odekunle.
The funds were forfeited after a ruling by the Royal Court of Jersey on January 12, 2024, which held that the money in a Jersey bank account was “more likely than not” derived from a corrupt scheme. The court found that third-party contractors had diverted government funds for the benefit of senior Nigerian officials and their associates.
The forfeiture application was brought under the Forfeiture of Assets (Civil Proceedings) (Jersey) Law 2018.
Temple said the recovery underscores the strength of Jersey’s anti-corruption framework and its cooperation with Nigerian authorities.
“This successful return demonstrates the effectiveness of our civil forfeiture legislation as a powerful tool in the fight against corruption,” he said, while commending the Nigerian government and the Economic Crime and Confiscation Unit for their collaboration.
The latest MoU builds on two previous agreements between Jersey and Nigeria, under which over $300 million has already been repatriated to support major infrastructure projects, including the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway, the Second Niger Bridge, and the Abuja–Kano Road. The first two projects have been completed.
Under the new agreement, the $9.5 million will be used to support the final stages of the Abuja–Kano Road, a 375-kilometre highway regarded as a critical transport link between Abuja and Kano.
Nigeria’s Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), welcomed the development, describing it as evidence of Nigeria’s resolve to trace and recover illicit assets abroad.
“The successful recovery and repatriation of the forfeited assets underscores the effectiveness of Nigeria’s collaboration with international partners in ensuring there is no safe haven for illicit wealth,” Fagbemi said.
He thanked Jersey authorities for their cooperation and assured that the repatriated funds would be used strictly in line with the terms of the MoU.