Nigeria, South Africa Set to Exit FATF Grey List Soon

Nigeria and South Africa may be removed from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list as early as this month, a move expected to strengthen investor confidence in Africa’s two largest economies, according to Bloomberg.

The Paris-based FATF, which oversees global measures against money laundering and terrorist financing, added both countries to the grey list in February 2023 after noting deficiencies in their systems for addressing illicit financial flows. The on-site inspections were recently conducted in Nigeria, South Africa, Burkina Faso, and Mozambique, Bloomberg said.

The assessors noted substantial progress, paving the way for all four countries to potentially be delisted on October 24, during FATF’s plenary session in Paris. Although the final decision requires consensus among FATF’s 39 members, including the United States, United Kingdom, European Commission, China, Japan, and India, analysts note that removing Nigeria and South Africa would send a powerful signal to global investors.

“It would be confirmation that the reforms and measures put in place in the wake of the grey listing are both significant and sticky,” said Senior Portfolio Manager at Allspring Global Investments UK Ltd, Lauren van Biljon.”