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By Uche Usim
The two frontline anti-graft agencies, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) are to spend over N101 billion according to the 2026 budgetary outlay.
This comes as the Federal Government intensifies the war against dirty money.
The EFCC has the lion share, commanding N88.57 billion. Out of this figure, N21.78 billion has been set aside for office construction and expansion. Among the big-ticket projects is the design and construction of a new Kano zonal office at N3.5 billion, cementing EFCC’s grip on the North-West.
Also in the works is the development of 10 new hectares for the EFCC Academy along Airport Road, Abuja, costing N350 million, a move aimed at training the next generation of investigators.
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Personnel costs alone will gulp N44.77 billion, underlining the size and weight of its workforce. To keep officers field-ready, N200.99 million is budgeted for uniforms and clothing, while the commission’s digital firepower gets a boost with N487.52 million for computer software and N700 million for software, hardware and forensic equipment. Even keeping the lights on comes at a price, with N1.54 billion allocated for maintenance of office and residential buildings and N376.54 million to keep vehicles and transport equipment on the road.
Running alongside the EFCC is the NFIU, the quieter but no less critical brain behind Nigeria’s financial intelligence operations. With a N12.45 billion allocation, the unit’s focus is firmly on data, analysis and logistics. Of this, N3 billion goes to overheads, ensuring analysts can follow the money trail wherever it leads. Mobility is key, with N224.04 million set aside for vehicle fuel and N490 million for the purchase of new vehicles.
Technology sits at the core of the NFIU’s mission. The budget provides N710.5 million for computer software and hardware and N70 million for specialised security hardware, reflecting the growing sophistication of financial crimes. Even the work environment comes with a cost, as N151.7 million is earmarked for office rent and N420.28 million for furniture, fittings and equipment for its head office and proposed training school. To sharpen expertise, the unit will spend N50.06 million on financial consulting and N24.13 million on legal services.
Taken together, the 2026 allocations sketch a clear strategy. The EFCC is building the muscle, offices, officers and enforcement capacity, while the NFIU supplies the brains, crunching data and flagging suspicious flows of cash. It is a two-pronged assault designed to box in corruption from both the streets and the screens.
In simple terms, Nigeria is building a modern anti-corruption fortress. The EFCC raises the walls and mans the gates, while the NFIU scans the horizon with high-tech radar. Whether this expensive arsenal finally delivers cleaner books and fewer scandals is the question 2026 is set to answer.
