Extraordinary
UNITY AND FAITH PEACE AND PROGRESS
Federal Republic of Nigeria
Official Gazette
No. 90
Lagos - 13th May, 2022
Vol. 109
Government Notice No. 67
The following is published as supplement to this Gazette :
Act No.
Short Title
Page
14 Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022
A465-488
Printed and Published by The Federal Government Printer, Lagos, Nigeria
FGP 89/52022/1,200
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2022 No. 14
Money Laundering
(Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022
Section:
MONEY LAUNDERING
(PREVENTION AND PROHIBITION) AСТ, 2022
- Objectives.
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS
PART I-OBJECTIVES OF THIS ACT
PART II-PROHIBITION OF MONEY LAUNDERING
- Limitation to make or accept cash payment.
- Duty to report international transfer or transportation of funds, securities
and cash.
- Identification of customers.
- Duties incumbent upon casinos.
- Occasional cash transaction by designated non-financial businesses and
professions.
- Suspicious transaction reporting.
- Preservation of records.
- Communication of information.
- Internal procedures, policies and controls.
- Mandatory disclosure by financial institutions and designated non-financial
businesses and professions.
- Prohibition of numbered or anonymous accounts, accounts in fictitious
names and shell banks.
- New products, business practices and technologies.
- Liability of directors and employees of financial institutions and designated
Non-financial business and profession.
- Surveillance of bank accounts.
- Determination of flow of transactions.
PART III-SPECIAL CONTROL UNIT AGAINST MONEY LAUNDERING
- Establishment of the Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering
and functions.
PART IV-OFFENCES AND PENALTIES
- Money laundering offences.
- Other offences.
- Retention of proceeds of an unlawful act.
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2022 No. 14
Money Laundering
(Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022
- Conspiracy, aiding and abetting.
- Offences by a body corporate.
PART V-MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
- Jurisdiction to try offences under this Act.
- Power to demand and obtain records.
- Obstruction of authorised officers.
- Periodic furnishing of reports on money laundering.
- Administrative penalties.
- Regulations.
- Repeals and other consequential amendments.
- Interpretation.
- Citation.
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MONEY LAUNDERING
(PREVENTION AND PROHIBITION) ACT, 2022
ACT No. 14
AN ACT TO REPEAL THE MONEY LAUNDERING (PROHIBITION) ACT, No. 11, 2011 AND
ENACT THE MONEY LAUNDERING (PREVENTION AND PROHIBITION) ACT, 2022 TO PROVIDE
COMPREHENSIVE LEGAL AND INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR THE PREVENTION AND
PROHIBITION OF MONEY LAUNDERING IN NIGERIA, ESTABLISH THE SPECIAL CONTROL UNIT
UNDER THE ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CRIMES COMMISSION; AND FOR RELATED MATTERS.
[12th Day of May, 2022] Commence-
ment.
ENACTED by the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria-
PART I OBJECTIVES OF THIS ACT
- (1) The objectives of this Act are to-
Objectives.
(a) provide for an effective and comprehensive legal and institutional
framework for the prevention, prohibition, detection, prosecution and
punishment of money laundering and other related offences in Nigeria ;
(b) strengthen the existing system for combating money laundering and
related offences ;
(c) make adequate provisions to prohibit money laundering;
(d) expand the scope of money laundering offences and provide
appropriate penalties ; and
(e) establish the Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering under
the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for effective implementation
of the money laundering provisions of the Act in relation to the designated
non-financial businesses and professions.
PART II-PROHIBITION OF MONEY LAUNDERING
2.-(1) No person or body corporate shall, except in a transaction through Limitation
a financial institution, make or accept cash payment of a sum exceeding—
to make or
(a) ₩5,000,000 or its equivalent, in the case of an individual; or accept cash
payment.
(b) ₩10,000,000 or its equivalent, in the case of a body corporate.
(2) A person shall not conduct two or more transactions separately with
one or more financial institutions or designated non-financial businesses and
professions with intent to-
(a) avoid the duty to report a transaction which should be reported under
this Act; and
(b) breach the duty to disclose information under this act by any other
means.
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Duty to
report
international
transfer or
transportation
of funds,
securities
and cash.
Cap. F34,
LFN, 2004.
Identification
of
customers.
2022 No. 14
Money Laundering
(Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022
3.(1) A transfer to or from a foreign country of funds or securities by
a person or body corporate including a money service business of a sum
exceeding US$10,000 or its equivalent shall be reported to the Unit, Central
Bank of Nigeria and Securities and Exchange Commission in writing within
one day from the date of the transaction.
(2) A report made under subsection (1) shall indicate the nature and
amount of the transfer, the names and addresses of the sender and the receiver
of the funds or securities.
(3) Transportation of cash or negotiable instruments in excess of
US$10,000 or its equivalent by individuals in or out of Nigeria shall be declared
to the Nigerian Customs Service.
(4) The Nigerian Customs Service shall report any declaration made
under subsection (3) to the Central Bank and the Unit.
(5) Any person who falsely declares or fails to make a declaration to the
Nigerian Customs Service under section 12 of the Foreign Exchange (Monitoring
and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, commits an offence and is liable on
conviction to forfeit the undeclared funds or negotiable instrument or to
imprisonment for a term of at least two years or both.
4.-(1) A financial institution and a designated non-financial business
and profession shall-
(a) identify a customer, whether permanent or occasional, natural or
legal person or any other form of legal arrangements, using identification
documents as may be prescribed in any relevant regulation ;
(b) verify the identity of that customer using reliable, independent source
documents, data or information;
(c) identify the beneficial owner using relevant information or data
obtained from a reliable source such that the financial institution or the
designated non- financial business and profession is satisfied that it knows
who the beneficial owner is ; and
(d) take reasonable measures to verify that any person purporting to act
on behalf of the customer is so authorised, identified and verify the identity
of that person.
(2) Financial institutions and designated non-financial businesses and
professions shall undertake customer due diligence measures when-
(a) establishing business relationships ;
Money Laundering
(Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022
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(b) carrying out occasional transactions above the applicable designated
threshold prescribed by relevant regulations, including transactions carried
out in a single operation or in several operations that appear to be linked ;
(c) carrying out occasional transactions that are wire transfers ;
(d) there is a suspicion of money laundering or terrorist financing,
regardless of any exemptions or thresholds ; or
(e) the financial institution or designated non-financial business and
profession has doubts about the veracity or adequacy of previously obtained
customer identification data.
(3) Financial institutions or designated non-financial businesses and
professions shall-
(a) conduct ongoing due diligence on a business relationship ;
(b) scrutinise transactions undertaken during the course of the relationship
to ensure that the transactions are consistent with the institution's knowledge
of the customer, their business and risk profile and where necessary, the
source of funds ; and
(c) ensure that documents, data or information collected under the
customer due diligence process is kept up-to-date and relevant by undertaking
reviews of existing records, particularly for higher risk categories of
customers or business relationships.
(4) Financial institutions and designated non-financial businesses and
professions shall take appropriate measures to manage and mitigate the
risks and
(a) where higher risks are identified, apply enhanced measures to manage
and mitigate the risk ;
(b) where lower risks are identified, take simplified measures to manage
and mitigate the risks, provided that simplified customer due diligent
measures are not permitted whenever there is suspicion of money laundering
or terrorist financing ; and
(c) in the case of cross-border correspondent banking and other similar
relationships and in addition to carrying out customer due diligence
measures-
(i) gather sufficient information about a respondent institution,
(ii) assess the respondent institution's anti-money laundering and
combating the financing of terrorism controls,
(iii) document respective responsibilities of each institution in this
regard, and
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Duties
incumbent
upon
casinos.
2022 No. 14
Money Laundering
(Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022
(iv) obtain management approval before establishing new
correspondent relationships.
(5) A casual customer shall comply with the provisions of subsection (2)
for any number or manner of transactions including wire transfer involving a
sum exceeding US$1,000 or its equivalent if the total amount is known at the
commencement of the transaction or as soon as it is known to exceed the sum
of US$1,000 or its equivalent.
(6) Where a financial institution or designated non-financial business
and profession suspects or has reasonable grounds to suspect that the amount
involved in a transaction is the proceeds of a crime or an illegal act, it shall
require identification of the customer notwithstanding that the amount involved
in the transaction is less than US$1,000 or its equivalent.
(7) Financial institutions or designated non-financial business and
profession shall put in place appropriate risk management systems and
procedures to determine whether a customer or the beneficial owner of a
customer is a politically exposed person.
(8) In relation to a foreign politically exposed person, the financial
institution or designated non-financial institution shall in addition to the
requirements of subsections (1) and (2)—
(a) obtain senior management approval before establishing (or continuing,
for existing customers) such business relationships ;
(b) take reasonable measures to establish the source of wealth and the
source of funds of customers and beneficial owners identified as politically
exposed persons ; and
(c) conduct enhanced ongoing monitoring on that relationship.
(9) In relation to a domestic politically exposed persons or person
who has been entrusted with a prominent function by an international
organisation, the financial institution or designated non-financial institution
shall in addition to the requirements of subsections (1) and (2), adopt the
measures under subsection (8), where there is higher risk business
relationship with such a person.
5.-(1) A casino shall-
(a) verify the identity of any of its customers carrying out financial
transactions by requiring its customer to present a valid original document
bearing his name and address ; and
(b) record all transactions under this section in chronological order
including-
Money Laundering
(Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022
2022 No. 14
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(i) the nature and amount involved in each transaction, and
(ii) each customer's surname, forenames and address, in a register
forwarded to the Special Control Unit against Money Laundering for that
purpose.
(2) A register kept under subsection (1)(b) shall be forwarded to the
Unit and preserved for at least five years after the last transaction recorded in
the register.
(3) In this section, casino includes internet casino and ship-based casinos.
6.(1) A designated non-financial business and profession whose Occasional
business involves cash transaction shall-
cash
transaction
by
(a) in the case of
designated
non-
(i) a new business, before commencement of the business ; and financial
(ii) an existing business, within 3 months from the commencement of businesses
this Act, submit to the Special Control Unit against Money Laundering, a and
declaration of its activities; professions.
(b) prior to any transaction involving a sum exceeding US$1,000 or its
equivalent, identify the customer by requiring him to fill a standard data
form and present his international passport, driving license, national identity
card or such other document bearing his photograph as may be prescribed
by the Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering; and
(c) record all transactions under this section in chronological order,
indicating each customer's surname, forenames and address in a register
numbered and forwarded to the Special Control Unit Against Money
Laundering.
(2) A register kept under subsection (1) shall be forwarded to the Unit
and preserved for at least five years after the last transaction recorded in the
register.
(3) A designated non-financial business and profession that fails to
comply with the requirements of customer identification and the submission of
returns on such transaction as specified in this Act within seven days from the
date of the transaction commits an offence and is liable on conviction to-
(a) a fine of N250,000 for each day during which the offence
continues; and
(b) suspension, revocation or withdrawal of license by the appropriate
licensing authority as the circumstances may demand.
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2022 No. 14
Suspicious
transaction
reporting.
Money Laundering
(Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022
7.-(1) Where a transaction—
(a) involves a frequency which is unjustifiable or unreasonable,
(b) is surrounded by conditions of unusual or unjustified complexity,
(c) appears to have no economic justification or lawful objective,
(d) is inconsistent with the known transaction pattern of the account or
business relationship, or
(e) in the opinion of the financial institution or non-financial business and
profession involves the proceeds of a criminal activity, unlawful act, money
laundering or terrorist financing,
that transaction shall be deemed to be suspicious and the financial institution
and designated non-financial business and profession involved in the transaction
shall report to the Unit as the case may be immediately.
(2) A financial institution or designated non-financial business and
profession shall within 24 hours after the transaction referred to in
subsection (1)—
(a) draw up a written report containing all relevant information on the
matters mentioned in subsection (1) together with the reasons and identity
of the principal and, where applicable, of the beneficiary or beneficiaries ;
(b) take appropriate action to prevent the laundering of the proceeds of
a crime or an illegal act ; and
(c) report the suspicious transaction and actions taken to the Unit.
(3) The provisions of subsections (1) and (2) shall apply whether the
transaction is complete or not.
(4) The Unit shall acknowledge receipt of any disclosure, report or
information received under this section and may demand such additional
information as it may deem necessary.
(5) The acknowledgement of receipt shall be sent to the financial
institution or designated non-financial business and profession within the time
allowed for the transaction to be undertaken and it may be accompanied by a
notice deferring the transaction for a period not exceeding 72 hours.
(6) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (5), the Unit or the
Commission or the authorised representatives shall place a stop order not
exceeding 72 hours, on any account or transaction if it is discovered that such
account or transaction is suspected to be involved in any unlawful act.
(7) If the acknowledgment of receipt is not accompanied by a stop
notice, or where the stop notice has expired and the order specified in subsection
(8) to block the transaction has not reached the financial institution or designated
non-financial business and profession, it may carry out the transaction.
Money Laundering
(Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022
2022 No. 14
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(8) Where it is not possible to ascertain the origin of the funds within the
period of stoppage of the transaction, the Federal High Court may, at the
request of the Unit or the Commission or their authorised representatives
order that the funds, accounts or securities referred to in the report be blocked.
(9) An order made by the Federal High Court under subsection (8) shall
be enforced forthwith.
(10) A financial institution or designated non-financial business and
profession which fails to comply with the provisions of subsections (1) and (2)
commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of N1,000,000 for
each day during which the offence continues.
(11) The directors, officers and employees of financial institutions and
designated non-financial businesses and professions who carry out their duties
under this Act in good faith shall not be liable to any civil or criminal liability or
have any criminal or civil proceedings brought against them by their customers.
(12) Unlawful activity as used in subsection (1) (e) has the same meaning
as assigned to it under section 18 (6) of this Act.
8.-(1) Financial institution and designated non-financial business and Preservation
profession shall preserve and keep at the disposal of the authorities specified
in section 9 of this Act-
of records.
(a) all necessary records on transactions, both domestic and international,
for at least five years following completion of the transaction ; and
(b) all records obtained under section 4 of this Act, including account
files and business correspondence, and results of any analysis undertaken,
for at least five years following the termination of the business relationship
or after the date of the occasional transaction.
(2) The records referred to in subsection (1) shall be-
(a) sufficient to permit individual transactions to be readily reconstructed
at any time by the competent authorities ; and
(b) made swiftly available to the competent authorities.
- The records referred to in section 8 of this Act shall be communicated Communication
on demand to a competent authority and such other regulatory authorities or
judicial persons as the Unit or Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering
may specify by order published in the Federal Government Gazette.
of
information.
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2022 No. 14
Internal
procedures,
policies and
controls.
Mandatory
disclosure
by financial
institutions
and
designated
non-financial
businesses
and
professions.
Money Laundering
(Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022
10.-(1) Every financial institution and designated non-financial business
and profession shall develop programmes to combat the laundering of the
proceeds of a crime or other unlawful acts, and these shall include-
(a) the designation of compliance officers at management level at its
headquarters and at every branch and local office ;
(b) regular training programmes for its employees ;
(c) the centralisation of the information collected ; and
(d) the establishment of an internal audit unit to ensure compliance with
and effectiveness of the measures taken to enforce the provisions of this
Act.
(2) Notwithstanding the provision of this Act or any other Law, the Central
Bank of Nigeria, Securities and Exchange Commission, National Insurance
Commission and the Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering may-
(a) impose a penalty not more than 1,000,000 for designated non-
financial businesses and professions, not less than ₩1,000,000 for capital
brokerage and other financial institutions and N5,000,000 in the case of a
Bank; and
(b) in addition, suspend any licence issued to the financial institution or
designated non-financial business and profession, for failure to comply with
the provisions of subsection (1).
11.-(1) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any other law or
regulation, a financial institution or designated non-financial business and
profession shall report to the Unit in the case of a financial institution and to
Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering in the case of a designated
non-financial business and profession in writing within seven days, any single
transaction, lodgment or transfer of funds in excess of
(a) ₩5,000,000 or its equivalent, in the case of an individual ; or
(b) ₩10,000,000 or its equivalent, in the case of a body corporate.
(2) A person other than a financial institution may voluntarily give
information on any transaction, lodgement or transfer of funds in excess of —
(a) 1,000,000 or its equivalent, in the case of an individual; or
(b) N5,000,000 or its equivalent, in the case of a body corporate.
(3) Any financial institution or designated non-financial business and
profession that contravenes the provisions commits an offence and is liable on
conviction to a fine of at least 250,000 and not more than 1,000,000 for
each day the contravention continues.
Money Laundering
(Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022
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(4) Legal professional privilege and the invocation of client confidentiality
shall not apply in connection with—
(a) the purchase or sale of property;
(b) the purchase or sale of any business ;
(c) the managing of client money, securities or other assets ;
(d) the opening or management of bank, savings or securities accounts ;
(d) the creation, operation or management of trusts, companies or similar
structures; or
(e) anything produced in furtherance of any unlawful act.
12.(1) The opening or maintaining of numbered or anonymous accounts Prohibition
by any person, financial institution or body corporate is prohibited.
(2) A person shall not establish or operate a shell bank in Nigeria.
(3) A financial institution shall—
(a) not enter into or continue correspondent banking relationships with
shell banks; and
(b) satisfy itself that a respondent financial institution in a foreign country
does not permit its accounts to be used by shell banks.
(4) Any person, financial institution or body corporate that contravenes
the provisions of subsections (1), (2) and (3), commits an offence and is liable
on conviction to
(a) in the case of an individual, a term of imprisonment of at least two
years but not more than five years ; or
(b) in the case of a financial institution or body corporate, a fine of at
least 10,000,000 but not more than N50,000,000, in addition to-
(i) the prosecution of the principal officers of the body corporate, and
(ii) the winding up and prohibition of its constitution or incorporation
under any form or guise.
of numbered
or
anonymous
accounts,
accounts in
fictitious
names and
shell banks.
New
13.-(1) Financial institutions and designated non-financial businesses
and professions shall identify and assess the money laundering and terrorism products,
financing risks that may arise in relation to the development of new products
and new business practices, including new delivery mechanisms, and the use
of new or developing technologies for both new and pre-existing products in
accordance with the requirements specified by the regulatory authorities.
(2) Pursuant to the provisions of subsection (1), financial institutions and
designated non-financial businesses and professions shall—
business
practices
and
technologies.
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Liability of
directors and
employees
of financial
institutions
and
designated
Non-
financial
business and
profession.
Surveillance
of bank
accounts.
Determination
of flow of
transactions.
2022 No. 14
Money Laundering
(Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022
(a) undertake the risk assessments prior to the launch or use of such
products, business practices and technologies ; and
(b) take appropriate measures to manage and mitigate the risks.
- Where funds are blocked under section 7 (8) of this Act and there
is evidence of conspiracy with the owner of the funds, the financial institution
or the designated non-financial business and profession involved shall not be
relieved of liability under this Act and criminal proceedings for all offences
arising there from, may be brought against a director and employees involved
in the conspiracy.
15.-(1) A competent authority under an order of the Federal High
Court obtained upon an ex-parte application supported by a sworn declaration
made by an authorised officer of the competent authority justifying the request,
may in order to identify and locate proceeds, properties, objects or other things
related to the commission of an offence under this Act or any other law-
(a) place any bank account or any other account comparable to a bank
account under surveillance ;
(b) obtain access to any suspected computer system ; and
(c) obtain communication of any authentic instrument or private contract,
together with all bank, financial and commercial records, when the account,
the telephone line or computer system is used by any person suspected of
taking part in a transaction involving the proceeds of a financial crime or
other crime.
(2) The competent authority may exercise the powers conferred under
subsection (1) where it relates to identifying or locating properties, objects or
proceeds of an unlawful act.
(3) Banking secrecy or preservation of customer confidentiality shall
not be invoked as a ground for objecting to the measures set out in subsection
(1) and (2) or for refusing to be a witness to facts likely to constitute an
offence under this Act, or any other law.
- The Unit, Commission shall in consultation with the Central Bank
and the Corporate Affairs Commission determine the flow of transaction and
the identities of beneficiaries under this Act including the beneficiaries of
individual accounts and of corporate accounts.
Money Laundering
(Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022
2022 No. 14
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PART III-SPECIAL CONTROL UNIT AGAINST MONEY LAUNDERING
17.—(1) There is established a department under the Economic and Establishment
Financial Crimes Commission to be known as the Special Control Unit Against
Money Laundering (in this Act referred to as “the SCUML”) which shall be
responsible for the supervision of designated non-financial businesses and
professions in their compliance with the provisions of this Act, relevant laws
and applicable regulations.
(2) The functions of SCUML are to-
(a) register and certify designated non-financial businesses and
professions in accordance with the provisions of this Act, relevant laws and
applicable regulations ;
(b) monitor and supervise designated non-financial businesses and
professions in accordance with the provisions of this Act, relevant laws and
applicable regulations ;
(c) take necessary enforcement actions to ensure compliance with this
Act, relevant laws and applicable regulations ;
(d) conduct off-site, on-site, and on the spot checks, inspection of
designated non-financial businesses and professions for the purposes of
money laundering control and supervision ;
(e) establish and maintain a comprehensive database of designated non-
financial businesses and professions ;
(f) receive cash based transaction reports and currency transaction
reports from designated non-financial businesses and professions in
accordance with the provisions of this Act ;
(g) sensitise designated non-financial businesses and professions
regarding their responsibilities under this Act ; and
(h) perform other function necessary to fulfil its responsibilities under
this Act or any other relevant laws and applicable regulations.
PART IV-OFFENCES AND PENALTIES
18.-(1) Money laundering is prohibited in Nigeria.
(2) Any person or body corporate, in or outside Nigeria, who directly or
indirectly-
(a) conceals or disguises the origin of,
(b) converts or transfers,
(c) removes from the jurisdiction, or
of the
Special
Control Unit
Against
Money
Laundering
and
functions.
Money
laundering
offences.
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2022 No. 14
Money Laundering
(Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022
(d) acquires, uses, retains or takes possession or control of any fund or
property, intentionally, knowingly or reasonably ought to have known that
such fund or property is, or forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act,
commits an offence of money laundering under this Act.
(3) A person who contravenes the provisions of subsection (2) is liable
on conviction to imprisonment for a term of not less than four years but not
more than fourteen years or a fine not less than five times the value of the
proceeds of the crime or both.
(4) A body corporate who contravenes the provisions of subsection (2)
is liable on conviction to a fine of not less than five times the value of the funds
or the properties acquired as a result of the offence committed.
(5) Where the body corporate persists in the commission of the offence
for which it was convicted in the first instance, the regulators may withdraw
or revoke the certificate or license of the body corporate.
(6) The unlawful act referred to in subsection (2) includes—
(a) participation in an organised criminal group;
(b) racketeering, terrorism, terrorist financing;
(c) trafficking in persons, smuggling of migrants, sexual exploitation,
sexual exploitation of children ;
(d) illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances ;
(e) illicit arms trafficking, illicit trafficking in stolen goods;
(f) corruption, bribery, fraud, currency counterfeiting;
(g) counterfeiting and piracy of products, environmental crimes ;
(h) murder, grievous bodily injury;
(i) kidnapping, hostage taking, robbery or theft ;
(j) smuggling (including in relation to customs and excise duties and
taxes), tax crimes (related to direct taxes and indirect taxes) ;
(k) extortion, forgery, piracy ;
(1) insider trading and market manipulation ; and
(m) any other criminal act specified in this Act or any other law in
Nigeria including any act, wherever committed in so far as such act would
be an unlawful act if committed in Nigeria.
(7) A person who commits an offence under subsection (2) shall be
subject to the penalties specified in this section notwithstanding that the various
acts constituting the offence were committed in different countries or places.
Money Laundering
(Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022
2022 No. 14
A 479
(8) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (6), it shall not be
necessary to establish a specific unlawful act, or that a person was charged
or convicted for an unlawful act, for the purpose of proving a money laundering
offence under this Act.
(9) Knowledge, intent, purpose, belief or suspicion required as an element
of money laundering under this Act may be inferred from objective factual
circumstances.
19.-(1) Without prejudice to the penalties provided under section 18
of this Act, any person who—
Other
offences.
(a) being a director or employee of a financial institution warns or in any
other way intimates the owner of the funds involved in the transaction referred
to in section 7 of this Act about the report he is required to make or the action
taken on it or who refrains from making the report as required;
(b) destroys or removes a register or record required to be kept under
this Act;
(c) carries out or attempts under a false identity to carry out any of the
transactions specified in sections 2 - 6 of this Act ;
(d) makes or accepts cash payments exceeding the amount authorised
under this Act;
(e) fails to report an international transfer of funds or securities required
to be reported under this Act ; or
(f) being a director or an employee of a financial institution or designated
non-financial business and profession contravenes the provisions of sections
3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15 of this Act, commits an offence under this Act.
(2) A person who commits an offence under subsection (1)—
(a) paragraph (a), is liable on conviction to a fine of at least ¥10,000,000
or imprisonment for a term of at least two years ; and
(b) paragraphs (b)-(f), is liable to a fine of N10,000,000 or imprisonment
for a term of at least three years or both, in the case of individual and
N25,000,000 in the case of a body corporate.
(3) A person found guilty of an offence under this section may also be
banned indefinitely or for a period of five years from practicing the profession
which provided the opportunity for the offence to be committed.
(4) Where as a result of a serious oversight or a flaw in its internal control
procedures, a financial institution or person designated under section 10 (1) (a)
of this Act, fails to meet any of the obligations imposed by this Act, the disciplinary
authority responsible for the financial institution or the person's professional
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2022 No. 14
Retention of
proceeds of
an unlawful
act.
Con