By Ranti Thomas
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) on Thursday, January 15, 2026, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) formalizing a strategic inter-agency collaboration aimed at strengthening investigative capacity and asset management.
The signing ceremony, held at EFCC’s corporate headquarters in Jabi, Abuja, was attended by top officials of both agencies. EFCC Executive Chairman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, described the MoU as a landmark in government collaboration, emphasizing that joint efforts would enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of both agencies in achieving their mandates.
“The MoU clearly sets out the roles and responsibilities of each agency, and we are establishing a special monitoring and implementation team to ensure operational success,” Olukoyede said. He added that the partnership would encourage other government ministries, departments, and agencies to explore similar collaborations to advance national development.
Under the agreement, NASRDA will provide advanced geospatial and satellite technology to support EFCC’s investigative and asset-tracking efforts, particularly in areas where physical monitoring is challenging. EFCC, in turn, will offer expertise in fraud risk assessment to strengthen NASRDA’s compliance and regulatory framework.
Olukoyede noted that “one of EFCC’s hallmarks is asset recovery. These assets are scattered across Nigeria, some under interim forfeiture, others under final forfeiture. With NASRDA’s technology, we can monitor and secure these assets more effectively using geospatial tracking and tagging devices.”
NASRDA Director-General and CEO, Dr. Matthew Adepoju, expressed excitement over the collaboration, calling the MoU a “watermark” in ensuring compliance in both national and international space operations. He highlighted the role of satellite technology in curbing illegal activities, including unlawful mining, which he identified as a driver of insecurity in the country.
“Some of our natural resources are mapped via satellite platforms, and illegal actors have used this information to fuel insecurity,” Adepoju said. “Through this partnership, we will regulate operations across the upstream, mainstream, and downstream sectors of the space industry, ensuring adherence to Nigerian laws.”
Both agencies committed to leveraging their combined strengths to promote transparency, accountability, and efficiency in asset management and fraud prevention, with NASRDA providing geotagging and monitoring solutions and EFCC supplying investigative expertise.
“This collaboration is a bold step toward ensuring that assets are properly tracked and that fraud risks are mitigated, strengthening the country’s regulatory and enforcement landscape,” Olukoyede concluded.