WELCOME ADDRESS DELIVERED BY THE PERMANENT SECRETARY, FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE MR. RAYMOND O. OMACHI, FCA AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF A WORKSHOP ON ESTIMATION OF ILLICIT FINANCIAL FLOWS (IFF) ORGANISED BY THE UNITED NATIONS COMMISSION FOR AFRICA HELD AT REIZ CONTINENTAL HOTEL, ABUJA ON MONDAY 19TH JANUARY, 2026
Protocol
The Honourable Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Finance - Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, CFA
United Nations Representative in Nigeria,
Coordinator of the Technical Working Groups (TWG) of IFF in Nigeria,
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) Representatives.
Distinguished representatives from participating Agencies, experts, and participants.
2. Good morning, and a very warm welcome to this very important workshop. It is my distinct honour to, on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Finance, deliver this opening address at this timely and critical workshop on the Estimation of Illicit Financial Flows, organized by UNECA.
3. Illicit financial flows represent one of the most entrenched challenges to Africa's development agenda, siphoning away vital resources that could fuel infrastructure, education, healthcare, and sustainable growth. In Nigeria, as in many African economies, these flows undermine our fiscal stability, erode public trust, and hinder our progress towards Economic development and attainment of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This workshop comes at a pivotal moment, equipping us with robust methodologies to measure, track, and curb IFFs—empowering policymakers to reclaim lost revenues and fortify our financial systems.
4. I commend UNECA for its unwavering leadership in convening this platform, fostering knowledge exchange, and building capacity across the continent. To our participants from other government Agencies; together, we can transform data-driven insights into actionable reforms that promote transparency, accountability, and inclusive prosperity.
5. Let us approach these five days with the seriousness it deserves in order to achieve the workshop’s objectives of sharing experiences, innovating solutions, and forging partnerships that yield tangible results. I wish you fruitful deliberations and productive outcomes.
6. Thank you and God bless.