Strengthen Asset Recovery and Management Framework (NG0053)

Thematic Area: Fiscal Transparency

Commitment: Strengthen Asset Recovery and Management Framework in Nigeria

Brief Description of Commitment:
This commitment aims at improving coordination, strengthening legal frameworks by enhancing cooperation through information sharing, capacity building, and advocacy, ensuring the proper utilisation and management of recovered assets. The commitment will focus on strengthening the asset recovery framework for greater accountability, transparency, and proper stewardship of public resources.

General Problem/Challenge Addressed by the Commitment:
Nigeria, having made tremendous efforts in asset recovery in recent years, still faces issues of lack of effective coordination, efficiency, limited capacity for transparent tracking, management and utilization of recovered assets and weak legal and institutional frameworks which undermine public trust and hinder effective asset recovery.

Specific OGP Issue(s) in Focus:
There is weak coordination, transparency and accountability in the recovery, management, and utilization of recovered assets in Nigeria.

Rationale for the Commitment:
Nigeria's asset recovery and management system is weak due to poor coordination, legal gaps, and low capacity, which erodes public trust and citizens' participation. Efficient recovery and management of recovered assets is vital for restoring public trust, deterring corruption, and ensuring that recovered assets are used for national development. A systematic asset recovery and management framework will enhance Nigeria's ability to comply with international standards such as the UNCAC and GFAR principles and support sustainable socio-economic growth by utilising recovered assets toward public priorities.

Main Objective:
To establish a transparent, efficient, and accountable asset recovery and management system that enhances coordination, ensures proper management and utilization of recovered assets, and strengthens public trust in Nigeria's anti-corruption efforts.

Anticipated Impact:
Strengthening Nigeria's asset recovery and management system will lead to more transparent, efficient, and accountable processes. This will increase public trust in government, improve the return and use of stolen assets for national development, enhance compliance with international anti-corruption standards such as the UNCAC and GFAR Principles, and ultimately support sustainable socio-economic growth across the country.

Expected Outcomes | Milestones (Performance Indicators)
1. Improved coordination among agencies involved in asset recovery, management, and use.
• Formal inter-agency coordination mechanism established with well documented TORS and quarterly meetings held.
• Information sharing protocols and data exchange agreements operationalized between participating agencies
• Annual inter-agency coordination performance report documenting collaboration efforts.
2. Increased capacity of institutions to trace, recover, and manage stolen assets effectively.
• MDAs and ACAs demonstrate proficiency in asset tracing, recovery and management procedures
• Standardized operational manuals and asset recovery procedure developed, approved and adopted by key institution
• Advanced training programs conducted with key stakeholders
• Post training performance metrics to show improvement in asset recovery case outcomes and timelines
3. Enhanced utilisation of recovered assets for public development projects.
• National legal framework for utilization and disposal of recovered assets
• Public development of asset utilization reports developed to demonstrate transparent allocation and social impact
4. Enhanced transparency and public access to information and participation in recovery and management of recovered assets
• Dedicated open data portal on asset recovery established and maintained with regular publications
• Citizen's feedback and participation mechanisms established with documented evidence of citizen's input influencing asset recovery policy decisions
5. Strengthened public trust and confidence in anti-corruption efforts and governance
• Baseline public trust survey measuring citizens confidence in asset recovery and ACAs
• Media coverage analysis demonstrates positive narrative shift on asset recovery outcomes published across national and local media
• Increase in citizen's trust in the utilization of asset recovery for national developments

Planned Activities | Start Date | End Date | Expected Output(s) | Output Indicator(s)
1. Capacity building of MDAS and ACAs in the implementation of the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Act 2022. | Feb 2026 | Dec 2029 | Capacity building and sensitization workshops held across 6 geopolitical zones | Number of capacity building and sensitization workshops held for MDAs and ACAs on the proceeds of crime (Recovery and management Act 2022)); Number of MDAs and ACAs trained
2. Advocacy for the establishment of a framework for domestic asset recovery and management. | Jan 2026 | Dec 2029 | Advocacy messages and tools developed. Advocacy engagement held and monitored. | Number of advocacies held for the establishment of a framework for domestic asset recovery and management; Framework for domestic Asset recovery and management developed.
3. Community sensitization and engagement on the recovery, management, and utilization of recovered assets. | Jan 2026 | Dec 2029 | Sensitization workshop of the community was conducted across 6 geopolitical zones. | Number of sensitization workshops held
4. Advocacy to establish a national legal framework for the utilisation and disposal of domestic and international recovered assets. | Jan 2026 | Dec 2029 | Advocacy messages and tools developed. Advocacy engagement held and monitored. | Number of advocacy engagements held. Develop National Legal Framework for the utilization and disposal of domestic international recovered assets
5. Sensitization on the use of recovered assets (local and subnational) by publishing asset sharing agreements by the government. | Jan 2026 | Dec 2029 | Sensitization workshops held across 6 geopolitical zones. | Number of sensitization workshops on the use of recovered assets held
6. Advocacy for Implementation of the Whistleblower Policy and Enactment of the Whistleblower Protection Act. | Jan 2026 | Dec 2029 | Advocacy messages and tools developed. Advocacy engagement held and monitored. | Number of advocacy engagements on the implementation of the whistleblower policy held. Enactment of the Whistleblower Protection Act. Number of advocacy tools developed
7. Advocacy for upgraded API access of BO to include ACAS. | Jan 2026 | Dec 2029 | Advocacy messages and tools developed. Advocacy engagement held and monitored. | Number of advocacy engagements on the upgraded API access of BO to include ACAs held.
8. Capacity building for CSOS and CBOS on asset recovery, management, utilization and monitoring | Jan 2026 | Dec 2029 | Sensitisation workshops held across 6 geopolitical zones. | Number of sensitization workshops held.
9. Support national roundtable dialogue. | Jan 2026 | Dec 2029 | National roundtables dialogue held. | Number of National roundtable dialogue held.
10. Establishment of citizen observatory including community leaders, traditional leaders, national union of road transport users, market union associations, real estate associations e.t.c on asset recovery, management and utilization | Jan 2026 | Dec 2029 | Establishment of a citizens observatory. | Number of citizen observatory on asset recovery, management and utilization established. Number of stakeholders engaged