Enhancing Legislative Oversight for Effective Implementation of POCA: A Governance Framework

From Femi Oyelola in Kaduna

A distinguished gathering of stakeholders in Nigeria’s anti-corruption ecosystem emphasized the need for enhanced legislative oversight to ensure effective implementation of the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Act, 2022 (POCA).

In a keynote address, John Onyeukwu, Esq., a lawyer, governance, and social impact practitioner, highlighted the importance of constitutional discipline, institutional design, and governance delivery in ensuring the successful implementation of POCA.

Onyeukwu noted that POCA represents a significant shift in Nigeria’s asset recovery architecture, consolidating forfeiture powers and clarifying mandates.

However, he emphasized that the true test of POCA lies not in the breadth of power it confers, but in the discipline with which that power is exercised, supervised, and constitutionally restrained.

He identified several challenges, including coordination gaps among law enforcement agencies, administrative bottlenecks in asset management, and limited transparency in the management of recovered assets. Onyeukwu stressed the need for strengthened parliamentary oversight to ensure that asset recovery processes operate efficiently, fairly, and transparently.

The gathering also explored critical issues such as interagency collaboration, the functioning of the Joint Directorate envisaged under POCA, non-conviction-based forfeiture mechanisms, and safeguards for constitutional rights.

Onyeukwu proposed a governance framework for POCA implementation, anchored in three mutually reinforcing pillars: constitutional discipline, institutional design, and governance delivery.

He emphasized transparency, accountability, and public reporting in asset recovery, and urged the National Assembly to exercise its oversight functions to ensure effective implementation of POCA.

The event was organized by the Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), with support from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), and comes ahead of a public hearing on a private bill sponsored by Senator Idiat Oluranti Adebule, PhD, scheduled for February 26, 2026.

The stakeholders’ dialogue demonstrated a renewed commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s anti-corruption framework and promoting transparency and accountability in the management of recovered assets.

The outcome of the dialogue is expected to inform the National Assembly’s public hearing on the POCA Amendment Bill.