Africa losing billions to corruption, recovering only fraction — Kenyan envoy

By Luminous Jannamike

ABUJA — African countries are losing billions of dollars annually to corruption while recovering only a small fraction of stolen assets, Kenyan High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ambassador Isaac Keen Parashina, has said, calling for stronger continental cooperation in tracking and recovering illicit funds.

He made the remark on Tuesday in Abuja during the maiden International Diplomatic Dialogue organised by the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria (ACAN), themed “Experience Sharing in Anti-Corruption Strategy: The Kenyan Perspective.”

The event brought together Nigerian and Kenyan anti-corruption officials, diplomats and policy experts, who called for stronger institutions, improved capacity and enhanced intelligence sharing to combat corruption across Africa.

Parashina said no country could effectively tackle corruption alone, stressing the need for coordinated action among African states.

“Billions are stolen, yet only a fraction of those funds is recovered. This demonstrates the need for stronger international cooperation in tracking, tracing and recovering illicit assets,” he said.

He added that Africa must strengthen regulatory frameworks and institutional capacity while improving cross-border collaboration to effectively address corruption.

The envoy also called for deeper cooperation between Nigeria and Kenya through agencies such as the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, noting that shared intelligence and joint action were essential to tackling increasingly sophisticated corruption networks.

“By working collaboratively, we can enhance our technological capacity and improve our ability to address corruption-related challenges,” he said.

Speaking at the same event, ICPC Chairman, Musa Adamu Aliyu, said the issue of immunity for governors does not hinder the agency’s anti-corruption operations.

“As far as I am concerned, the issue of immunity or no immunity is not something that hampers our work. No matter how long it takes, once an investigation has been conducted, there will come a time when a matter can be taken to court,” he said.

Aliyu stressed that corruption is a cross-border challenge requiring sustained collaboration among countries, stronger institutions and adequate funding for anti-graft agencies.

He added that Nigeria would continue to learn from other countries, including Kenya, to strengthen its anti-corruption strategies.

“We will continue to engage with countries across Africa and beyond in order to learn new instruments, tools and models through which Nigeria’s anti-corruption institutions can be further strengthened,” he said.

Also speaking, Provost of ACAN, Sheriff Ghali Ibrahim, said Kenya was selected for the maiden edition due to its notable anti-corruption reforms, including digital governance systems, specialised courts and improved asset recovery mechanisms.

He noted that Kenya has recovered over $118 million in illicit assets through coordinated institutional efforts.

The dialogue highlighted the need for stronger international cooperation, improved accountability systems and enhanced asset recovery efforts to curb corruption across Africa.

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