By Tobias Lengnan Dapam
The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, has urged African nations to adopt strategic diplomacy in their engagements with the global North to effectively combat the challenges of Illicit Financial Flows (IFFs) and facilitate the repatriation of stolen assets.
A statement issued on Tuesday by Demola Bakare,
Director, Public Enlightenment and Education/ Spokesperson for the Commission, said Dr. Aliyu made this call during the inaugural meeting of the African Asset Recovery Practitioners’ Forum (AARP-FORUM), which was recently held in Nairobi, Kenya.
He currently serves as Chairman of the Forum’s Interim Steering Committee.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Aliyu noted that Africa has endured centuries of economic exploitation—from the transatlantic slave trade through colonialism to the modern scourge of IFFs.
According to him, a collective African response anchored on strategic diplomacy, stronger legal frameworks, and increased accountability from international financial institutions is needed.
Highlighting specific challenges, the ICPC Chairman pointed to the lack of cooperation from some countries in the global North, especially concerning Mutual Legal Assistance, which continues to impede cross-border asset recovery efforts.
The Chairman also lamented the limited participation of North African countries in the forum, a gap, he said, that weakens the continent’s unified advocacy for policy and legal reforms.
Dr Aliyu noted that another critical concern raised was the issue of re-looting recovered assets, stressing that weak governance structures and inadequate accountability mechanisms in some African states often result in recovered funds being misappropriated, thereby eroding public trust and stalling further recovery efforts.
“To overcome these challenges, we must implement robust oversight mechanisms that ensure transparency and accountability in the management of recovered assets,” he stated. “The success of this forum depends on the unwavering commitment of all stakeholders to confront these issues head-on”, he said.
Dr. Aliyu hailed the forum as a milestone in Africa’s anti-corruption efforts, describing it as a platform for collaboration among practitioners across the continent, adding that “Through this forum, African countries are not only aligning efforts but also speaking with one voice on asset recovery matters.” he said. “This ensures the continent is better equipped to reclaim its stolen wealth and reinvest it into critical development priorities.”
He further described the AARP-FORUM as “a new era of collaboration—a dedicated space for experts, policymakers, and stakeholders to exchange ideas, share best practices, and coordinate actions to stem the tide of illicit financial flows.”
The Nairobi meeting concluded with a clear mandate: to operationalise the AARP-Forum without delay. Among the next steps are regional capacity-building workshops co-hosted by the ICPC, the creation of a real-time digital asset tracing platform, and diplomatic engagements with global institutions, including the United Nations, to push for more equitable recovery treaties.
The Forum also committed to ensuring that recovered assets are tracked, audited, and reinvested transparently into development priorities such as education, health, infrastructure, and youth empowerment.
