By Janefrances Chibuzor
The Bailiwick of Jersey has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for the return of more than $9.5 million in funds identified as proceeds of corruption, in a move aimed at supporting critical infrastructure development in the country.
The agreement, signed in December 2025 by His Majesty’s Attorney General for Jersey, Mark Temple KC, provides the framework for the repatriation of the forfeited funds to Nigeria, adding fresh resources to the ongoing Abuja–Kano Road project.
According to official disclosures, the funds were forfeited following an application filed on 29 November 2023 by the Attorney General of Jersey at the Royal Court under the Forfeiture of Assets (Civil Proceedings) (Jersey) Law 2018. On 12 January 2024, the court granted a forfeiture order, having determined that the monies were, on the balance of probabilities, proceeds of a corrupt scheme involving the diversion of government funds by third-party contractors for the benefit of senior Nigerian officials and their associates.
The latest repatriation builds on earlier cooperation between Jersey and Nigeria, which has already seen the return of more than $300 million in recovered assets. Those funds were deployed to finance three major national infrastructure projects: the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway, the Second Niger Bridge, and the Abuja–Kano Road. The Lagos–Ibadan Expressway and the Second Niger Bridge have since been completed.
Under the new MoU, the $9.5 million will be channelled towards the final stages of the Abuja–Kano Road, a 375-kilometre highway considered a strategic transport corridor linking Nigeria’s capital city with Kano, the country’s second-largest city and a major commercial hub.
Speaking on the development, Jersey’s Attorney General, Mark Temple KC, said the successful return of the funds underscored the effectiveness of Jersey’s civil forfeiture framework in tackling corruption.
“This successful return demonstrates the strength of our civil forfeiture legislation as a powerful tool in the fight against corruption. I thank the Nigerian authorities for their cooperation and the Economic Crime and Confiscation Unit in my Department for their unwavering commitment to recovering the proceeds of crime,” he said.
Nigeria’s Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, also welcomed the development, describing it as a testament to the country’s growing international collaboration in asset recovery.
“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 moved to foreign jurisdictions,” Fagbemi said.
He expressed the Federal Government’s appreciation to the Bailiwick of Jersey for its cooperation throughout the recovery process and assured that the repatriated funds would be transparently and judiciously applied in line with the terms of the MoU.
The latest asset return reinforces Nigeria’s ongoing anti-corruption drive and highlights the increasing role of international partnerships in recovering stolen public funds and redirecting them towards projects with direct economic and social impact.
