Author(s) :

Isah MOHAMMED IDRIS.

Volume/Issue :

Abstract :

This study critically examines Nigeria's anti-money laundering (AML) reforms under President Buhari's administration, focusing on institutional enforcement, political selectivity, global partnerships, and terrorism financing. Unlike earlier works that emphasize reform rhetoric or Nigeria's Financial Action Task Force (FATF) compliance, this research advances literature by revealing the gap between global AML frameworks and their practical domestic application in weak institutional contexts. The objectives of the study were fourfold: to evaluate the effectiveness of Buhari's AML reforms, interrogate the impact of political interference, assess the depth of Nigeria's regional and international AML collaborations, and analyze the extent to which reforms constrained terrorism financing. The research problem stems from the persistence of illicit financial flows and insurgent financing despite intensified reforms, reflecting contradictions between international compliance narratives and local realities. A mixed-methods approach was adopted, combining qualitative analysis of policy documents with critical discourse analysis, guided by Routine Activity Theory and Securitisation Theory. The findings identify weak institutional enforcement despite enhanced surveillance, showing that reforms lacked capable guardianship. The second highlights selective prosecutions, which eroded institutional legitimacy. The study recommended strengthened institutional guardianship through depoliticised enforcement, and design AML frameworks that integrate Nigeria's informal economic realities. Keywords: Anti-Money Laundering, Buhari Administration, Routine Activity Theory, Securitisation Theory, Terrorism Financing

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