Nigeria's anti-corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has dismissed more than 40 employees over the past three years for alleged corruption and financial misconduct. The disclosure was made by EFCC chairman Ola Olukoyede at a briefing in Abuja assessing the agency's achievements since he took office in October 2023.

Olukoyede told journalists: "In the past two-and-a-half years or three years of my service, I've asked them to dismiss over 40 staff on account of corruption and financial malpractice." He added that more than five of the dismissed officials were already facing prosecution, while case files were being prepared against others.

The EFCC investigates financial crimes, including fraud, money laundering and corruption, regularly pursuing cases against politicians, public officials, business figures and others accused of misusing public funds.

Internal reforms

Olukoyede outlined several reforms introduced during his tenure, including renaming the EFCC's Department of Internal Affairs to "the Department of Ethics and Integrity." He also said a new policy on gifts and hospitality had been implemented, requiring officers to declare gifts above a certain threshold—which he did not specify—including gifts received from relatives abroad.

"You must be sure that your hands are clean. You can't be fighting corruption when your hands are soiled with corrupt practices," Olukoyede said.

When asked for more details about the alleged corruption involving former EFCC staff members, the agency said this information was not available.

Agency performance figures

At the same briefing, Olukoyede reported a "record-breaking" period for the EFCC, with 1.23 trillion naira (approximately $925 million or £683 million) recovered and a conviction rate of more than 75 percent. He said the commission received 49,673 petitions, investigated 39,615 cases, filed 14,476 cases in court and secured 10,872 convictions between October 2023 and July 2026. In the first half of 2026 alone, the agency recorded 1,370 convictions from 1,889 filings.

Olukoyede attributed these results to "diligence, resilience and a prosecutorial approach anchored on evidence and courtroom" proceedings. Other figures disclosed at the event indicate that the EFCC's caseload is increasingly focused on cybercrime and fraud, rather than only corruption cases against high-profile officials.