Nigeria to Receive $9.5m Repatriated Funds from Jersey for Abuja–Kano Road Project

Nigeria to Receive $9.5m Repatriated Funds from Jersey for Abuja–Kano Road Project

Nigeria is set to receive over $9.5 million in recovered assets after signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Bailiwick of Jersey, aimed at funding a major national infrastructure project.

According to a statement released on Friday by the British High Commission, Jersey’s Attorney General, Mark Temple KC, signed the MoU in December 2025 on behalf of the island’s government.

The funds, which were confiscated following a Jersey court ruling, are earmarked for the final phase of the Abuja–Kano Road project, one of Nigeria’s most important transport corridors.

The recovery follows legal proceedings that established the money as proceeds of corruption, involving the misappropriation of Nigerian government funds.

How the funds were recovered

The British High Commission disclosed that on 29 November 2023, Jersey’s Attorney General applied to the Royal Court of Jersey for the forfeiture of assets held in a local bank account, relying on the Forfeiture of Assets (Civil Proceedings) (Jersey) Law 2018.

On 12 January 2024, the court approved the forfeiture after determining that the funds were, on the balance of probabilities, derived from a corrupt arrangement involving senior Nigerian officials, third-party contractors, and their associates.

Commenting on the outcome, Mark Temple KC described the recovery as proof of the effectiveness of Jersey’s civil forfeiture framework in combating financial crime.

He praised the cooperation of Nigerian authorities, noting that cross-border collaboration played a critical role in securing the return of the funds.

Nigerian government welcomes development

Nigeria’s Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi SAN, welcomed the agreement, calling it a strong example of how international partnerships can deliver results in asset recovery efforts.

He assured Jersey authorities that the repatriated funds would be used strictly in accordance with the MoU, with full accountability and transparency.

Previous recoveries and infrastructure impact

The latest agreement builds on two earlier MoUs between Nigeria and Jersey, under which more than $300 million had already been returned to Nigeria.

Those funds were deployed to finance key infrastructure projects, including the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway, the Second Niger Bridge, and the Abuja–Kano Road.

According to the British High Commission, both the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway and the Second Niger Bridge have since been completed, while the newly recovered $9.5 million will support the completion of the Abuja–Kano Road.

The Abuja–Kano Road is a 375-kilometre highway linking Nigeria’s federal capital to Kano, the country’s second-largest city and a major commercial hub.

Background and related asset recoveries

Jersey is a self-governing British Crown Dependency located in the English Channel. While it is not a sovereign country, it has its own legal and financial systems, with the United Kingdom responsible for defence and foreign affairs.

Although the statement did not disclose the identity of the Nigerian individuals linked to the corruption case, this recovery adds to a growing list of funds returned to Nigeria from abroad.

In 2021, the United Kingdom repatriated about £4.2 million seized from former Delta State Governor James Ibori and his associates.

More recently, the Nigerian government and the United States finalised an agreement for the return of $52.88 million connected to forfeited assets linked to former Petroleum Resources Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke and her associates.

About Author