Lagos, Nigeria | 7 July 2026 – More than 120 leaders from over 50 organisations came together in Lagos for the Anti-Financial Crime Summit 2026, hosted by Clari5, A Perfios Company, in partnership with CWG Plc.
Held under the theme “Strengthening Nigeria’s Anti-Fraud and AML Defence in the AI Era,” the Summit brought together banks, insurers, payment providers, regulators, law enforcement, and industry bodies to discuss how Nigeria can strengthen its financial crime defences as fraud becomes faster, more sophisticated, and increasingly AI-enabled.
Participants included representatives from the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Association of Chief Compliance Officers of Banks in Nigeria (ACCOBIN), the Association of Chief Audit Executives of Banks in Nigeria (ACAEBIN), and leading financial institutions across the country.
Key takeaways
Discussions throughout the day highlighted six priorities for the industry:
- AI is reshaping fraud detection, making visibility and faster decision-making critical.
- Fraud, AML, and mule detection must work as one integrated capability.
- Real-time payments demand real-time fraud prevention.
- Prevention is as important as response.
- AI adoption must be backed by strong governance, accountability, and auditability.
- Collaboration across banks, regulators, and law enforcement is essential to stay ahead of organised financial crime.
Building resilience together
Opening the Summit, Adewale Adeyipo, Group Managing Director and CEO of CWG Plc, emphasised that resilience must grow alongside digital innovation. As financial services become more connected, tackling financial crime requires collective action across the ecosystem.
In the keynote address, Ngover Ihyembe-Nwankwo, Executive Director at NIBSS, highlighted the importance of preventive fraud models, stronger data intelligence, and coordinated industry-wide responses. She underscored the role of shared intelligence in helping institutions identify risks that cannot be seen in isolation.
Preparing for the AI era
Representing Clari5, Dhruv Manga, Chief Revenue Officer, spoke about how AI is changing financial crime management. He stressed the need for greater visibility, faster decision-making, and a unified approach that brings together fraud, AML, and mule detection. As financial crime continues to evolve, he noted that AI-powered detection is rapidly becoming a business necessity rather than a future aspiration.
Jayaprakash Kavala, Chief Product Officer at Clari5, explored the role of multi-modal AI in helping banks stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated threats. His session focused on balancing technology innovation with governance, highlighting that effective AI requires clear accountability and oversight.
Governance takes centre stage
One of the Summit’s highlights was a panel discussion on anti-fraud readiness, AML/CFT/CPF governance, and the growing convergence of fraud, cybersecurity, and compliance.
Moderated by Pattison Boleigha, Managing Director of Pattison Consulting Limited, the panel concluded that while technology is advancing rapidly, governance remains the bigger challenge. Success will depend not only on deploying AI, but also on ensuring strong board oversight, effective controls, and measurable outcomes.
The panel featured:
- Solomon Abiakalam, Group Chief Conduct and Compliance Officer, Access Bank
- Aina Amah, Chief Audit Executive, Providus Bank and ACAEBIN Representative
- Festus Amede, Chief Information Security Officer, Zenith Bank
- Wede Thompson, Chief Compliance Officer, Optimus Bank and ACCOBIN Representative
- Assistant Commander Bawa Usman Kaltungo, Acting Zonal Director, EFCC Lagos Zonal Directorate
- Afolabi Sobande, Group Chief Operating Officer, CWG Plc
A shared commitment
The Summit closed with a common message: protecting Nigeria’s financial system in the AI era will require stronger collaboration between financial institutions, regulators, and law enforcement, backed by responsible AI adoption and robust governance.
Clari5 and CWG Plc thank all speakers, delegates, and partners for contributing to a successful event and advancing the conversation on the future of financial crime prevention.