The Senate confirmed President Bola Tinubu’s nominee, Hafsat Bakare, as the director/chief executive officer of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) on Tuesday, February 27. Bakare's confirmation followed the adoption of the Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes' recommendation after screening the nominee. Senator Emmanuel Menga Udende, the chairman of the committee, presented the report to the Senate, which approved the recommendation through a voice vote by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Akpabio congratulated Bakare on her appointment, urging her to utilize her wealth of experience in enhancing the operations and effectiveness of the NFIU. President Tinubu nominated Bakare last week pending her confirmation by the Senate. Bakare will replace Modibbo Tukur, who was relieved of his position by President Tinubu in June 2023. Bakare, a lawyer and financial intelligence expert, has extensive experience in anti-money laundering, counter-terrorism financing, and counter-proliferation financing, making her well-equipped for the role.
Before her nomination as the CEO of the NFIU, Bakare served as deputy director at the NFIU, and held various positions including Head of the General Services Unit, Head of the Strategy and Reorientation Unit, and Head of the Board Secretariat of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The NFIU, established in 2004 as an autonomous unit within the central coordinating body for the country’s Anti-Money Laundering, Counter-Terrorist Financing, and Counter-Proliferation Financing (AML/CFT/CPF) framework of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), collects and analyzes disclosures from reporting organizations to produce financial intelligence to combat money laundering, terrorism, and other financial crimes.
