The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has rolled out a new anti-money laundering risk engine designed to detect suspicious cross-border trade activities, strengthen financial intelligence and crack down on wildlife trafficking networks operating through the country’s borders.
The new system uses real-time trade data and risk analysis to identify suspicious transactions such as trade mis-invoicing, under-valuation, false declarations and other methods commonly used to launder illicit funds. Cases flagged by the platform are being referred to agencies including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation and possible prosecution.
Beyond financial crimes, the technology also supports Customs’ expanding role in combating illegal wildlife trafficking, an area in which Nigeria has long been identified as a major transit hub for products such as pangolin scales, ivory and other endangered species destined for international markets. Customs says the Service is working closely with the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) and international partners to intercept illegal shipments and dismantle trafficking networks.
The initiative forms part of broader reforms under Comptroller-General Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, aimed at transforming Customs from a revenue-collection agency into a technology-driven border security institution. Officers are also receiving additional training in financial investigations, wildlife crime detection and the use of intelligence-led enforcement tools.
Experts have welcomed the move, noting that wildlife trafficking is increasingly linked to organised crime and money laundering. International bodies, including the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), have urged countries to follow the financial trails behind wildlife crime rather than focusing solely on seizures.
The deployment of the risk engine is expected to strengthen Nigeria’s ability to combat illicit financial flows, improve border security and enhance compliance with global anti-money laundering and environmental protection standards.
