Authorities in Jersey, a British Crown Dependency located in the Channel Islands, have agreed to return over $9.5 million (£7 million) in recovered assets to the Nigerian government.
The funds, which will be channelled toward infrastructure development in Nigeria, are to be repatriated following a Memorandum of Understanding signed in December between Jersey’s Attorney General, Mark Temple KC, and the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The agreement builds on earlier arrangements between both parties that led to the return of more than $300 million previously held in a Jersey bank account.
Nigeria’s Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, said the funds would be utilised strictly in line with the terms of the agreement. He noted that the recovery and repatriation highlight the success of Nigeria’s cooperation with international partners in ensuring that the proceeds of corruption do not find a safe haven abroad.
According to Fagbemi, the money will be used to support the final phases of a major highway project linking Abuja and Lagos.
Attorney General Mark Temple described the repatriation as evidence of the strength of Jersey’s civil forfeiture laws, calling them an effective tool in the global fight against corruption.
In 2024, Jersey’s Royal Court ruled that the funds were “more likely than not” the proceeds of a corrupt scheme involving third-party contractors who diverted government resources for the benefit of senior Nigerian officials and their associates.
Although the assets were recovered during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, their return to Nigeria was delayed due to prolonged legal challenges.
