Nigeria strengthens its financial investigations into human trafficking

In a context where criminal networks are becoming increasingly sophisticated, following the money trail has become an essential tool for dismantling structures, identifying those responsible, and depriving traffickers of the economic benefits of their activity. Faced with this situation, the Nigerian authorities themselves have identified a specific need to improve the operational use of financial intelligence in the investigation and prosecution of human trafficking and related crimes.

Against this backdrop, Abuja, the Nigerian capital, hosted the high-level workshop “Strengthening Financial Investigation Capacities for Officers of Asset and Finance Investigation Units,” aimed at strengthening the financial investigation capacities of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and organized by the European project on migration governance.

The course, delivered by the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), focused on the practical use of the (CRIMS) Criminal Record Information Management System and was aimed at representatives of NAPTIP, Nigeria’s leading state agency for combating human trafficking, as well as specialists and other key agencies in the Nigerian security and justice system.

For three days, participants worked on practical cases, inter-agency coordination mechanisms, and financial investigation and asset tracing techniques related to human trafficking. The ultimate goal is to improve capabilities in dealing with this type of crime, strengthen cooperation between NAPTIP and the NFIU, and increase the number of investigations and prosecutions supported by solid financial evidence.

During the opening ceremony, Javier Jiménez, director of the project, stated that: “Financial investigation has become one of the most powerful tools for combating organized crime. Human trafficking is driven by profit, and to combat it effectively, investigators must be able to follow the money trail, identify illicit financial flows, and gather solid financial evidence. That is why this training is so timely and strategic.”

For her part, the director general of NAPTIP emphasized that: “For NAPTIP officials, the effective use of CRIMS will significantly improve our ability to link suspects, victims, transactions, and proceeds of crime, which will strengthen case files and judicial outcomes.”

This activity is part of the European project’s commitment to a structural and sustainable approach to combating trafficking and smuggling of migrants, strengthening the institutional capacities of its partners and promoting effective inter-agency cooperation.

With initiatives such as this workshop, FIAP consolidates its role as a leading technical partner in Nigeria, supporting national authorities not only in training, but also in improving operational and coordination mechanisms that enable knowledge to be translated into concrete results on the ground.