Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency has dismissed more than 40 members of staff for alleged corruption and financial misconduct over the past three years, as its chairman acknowledged the need to confront wrongdoing within the institution itself.
Ola Olukoyede, chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), said the dismissals were made during his tenure, with several former employees now facing prosecution.
Speaking at an event in Abuja highlighting the commission’s recent performance, Olukoyede said five of the dismissed staff were already being prosecuted, while cases were being prepared against others.
The EFCC is responsible for investigating financial crimes including corruption, money laundering and advance-fee fraud, and has pursued cases involving politicians, public officials and business figures.
Olukoyede said the agency could not credibly fight corruption while tolerating misconduct among its own personnel.
“You must be sure that your hands are clean. You can’t be fighting corruption when your hands are soiled with corrupt practices,” he told journalists.
The chairman also outlined the EFCC’s broader enforcement record, saying the commission had recovered 1.23 trillion naira, equivalent to about $923 million, and achieved a conviction rate of around 75 percent.
Between October 2023 and July 2026, the agency received 49,673 petitions, investigated 39,615 cases and filed 14,476 cases in court, according to Olukoyede.
He said the commission secured 10,872 convictions during the same period.
In the first half of 2026 alone, the EFCC recorded 1,370 convictions from 1,889 court filings.
Olukoyede said the figures reflected what he described as a stronger evidence-based prosecutorial approach and greater institutional discipline within the commission.
