The Inter-Governmental Action Group Against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) has provided $650,000 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to fight money and terrorism financing in the West Africa sub-region through awareness creation against the scourges.
The funds were provided to the benefiting CSOs between 2024 and 2025.
The grants comprised $350,000 in 2024 and $300,000 granted to 12 CSOs in the region “to create massive awareness and advocacy around assets recovery and management” in the member-states.
Director-General of GIABA, Edwin Harris, disclosed this in Lagos during the regional sensitisation seminar for CSOs with theme: “Requirements for fighting against money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT)”.
The workshop provided opportunity for GIABA to advance the promotion of a relationship with civil society organisations (CSOs) involved in the fight against these scourges; to encourage CSOs to conduct outreach campaigns to influence the effective implementation of AML/CFT measures; to use their platform for the dissemination, publication and sharing of information on GIABA and AML/CFT; to effectively engage CSOs in the fight against these scourges, etc.
GIABA said that combating the financing of terrorism and fighting against money laundering (AML/CFT) now more than ever requires the involvement of all stakeholders. Indeed, since 2011, GIABA’s strategic priorities have included promoting strategic partnerships with the private sector, civil society and other key stakeholders. Consequently, it is crucial to raise awareness among CSOs about AML/CFT and the predicate offences with a view to adopting best AML/CFT practices.
Harris explained that GIABA is West Africa’s regional body against money laundering, terrorist financing, and proliferation financing (ML/TF/PF).
GIABA was formally established as a specialised institution of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) by the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS in December, 2000 with the responsibility “to strengthen its member-states’ capacity to prevent and control money laundering and terrorist financing in the region.”
The DG said the organisation recognises the valuable contribution civil society can make to the decision-making processes hence the partnership.
He stressed that money laundering and terrorism financing must be nipped in the bud to guarantee the economic prosperity of the sub-region.
He stated that the 2024 grant provided through a competitive bidding process focused on sensitising and mobilising the public to commonly support the fight against terrorism and violent extremism in the North East Nigeria and the Mano River Union (MRU) covering Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea.
“This year, 2025, GIABA has already released another 300,000 US Dollars to 12 CSOs in the region to create massive awareness and advocacy around asset recovery and management in our member-states. “The immediate outcomes as we are seeing are already encouraging. I therefore urge you all to continue to work harder for a peaceful and economically viable West Africa,” he said.
Timothy Melaye, Head of Information at GIABA, said the workshop was aimed at deepening engagement with the CSOs in its efforts to stop terrorism financing in West Africa. “GIABA will continue to engage the CSOs in our work to ensure a safe, sound and resilient region of West Africa,” he said.
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