The Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) has insisted that it is mandatory for air travellers at international airports to declare cash above $10,000 at the point of checking into aircraft.
According to a statement by the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), this was made known by the Deputy General Manager, Currency Operations Department of NFIU, Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Maryesther Eworitse, at a two-day capacity-building workshop in Lagos.
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), at the event, stated that it has partnered with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the NFIU to reinforce Nigeria’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing framework.
Suspicious cash movements at the airport
Representing the NFIU, Eworitse, commended the NCS for fostering strong institutional collaboration. She disclosed that joint intelligence operations had recently uncovered suspicious cash movements, including a case involving over $6 million at the Lagos airport.
She added, ‘’The NFIU has installed currency declaration kiosks at international terminals and intensified public sensitisation to remind travellers of the mandatory declaration of cash above $10,000.’’
Meanwhile, the Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs, Zone A, Mohammed Babandede, who represented the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, said the partnership underscores the importance of inter-agency collaboration in combating money laundering and terrorism financing.
ACG Babandede noted that inter-agency collaboration remains a key policy focus of the Comptroller-General’s administration, adding that such partnerships have contributed significantly to national security efforts.
He explained that participants were drawn from the NCS, EFCC, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), and NFIU, reflecting a joint commitment to combating financial crimes.
He said, “The selection of participants was deliberate, focusing on officers from airports and land borders where the movement of cash and human traffic is high. The training will enable participants to exchange ideas and develop actionable outcomes.’’
He reaffirmed the Service’s commitment to securing Nigeria’s borders against illicit financial flows and urged participants to apply the knowledge gained to enhance vigilance and compliance in their respective commands.
Similarly, the EFCC Head of Investigations, Lagos Zonal office, Shehu Muhammad, emphasised the crucial role of synergy in dismantling sophisticated financial crime networks.
Muhammad said, ‘’The Nigeria Customs Service plays a lead role in the currency declaration regime, while the EFCC handles investigations and prosecutions. Strengthening inter-agency synergy will improve our effectiveness.’’
What you should know
- Earlier in July 2025, the NCS had in collaboration with other law enforcement and regulatory agencies, held a sensitisation exercise for international airline operators at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, as part of a proactive move to strengthen Nigeria’s anti-money laundering efforts.
- The session aimed to raise awareness on the importance of enforcing Nigeria’s currency declaration laws among inbound and outbound travellers, as well as address the role of airline personnel in ensuring compliance, especially in reminding passengers about declaration requirements through in-flight announcements, form distribution, and cooperation during customs checks.
- Officials emphasised that any passenger carrying over the regulatory threshold, currently $10,000 or its equivalent, is required to make a declaration to the authorities. Failure to comply, they warned, could result in seizure, investigation, and prosecution under Nigeria’s anti-money laundering laws.
