PROJECT BACKGROUND 

 Nigeria, like many other countries in Africa suffers severe leakage of its public resources through corrupt means. Public funds that could be better used to address critical sectors for national development, such as on health, education, electricity, roads, and other infrastructural projects for the social, political and economic well-being of the country are diverted by some Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs) and Civil Servants. The Proceeds of such crimes are often times hidden in foreign safe havens abroad or are used for the acquisition of private property within and outside Nigeria.

As a direct response to the situation, the project entitled “Tackling corruption through improving transparency in property ownership” was designed. One of the objectives of the project is to promote relevant policies that limit the capacity of politically exposed persons and their collaborators to acquire property with proceed of crime and through corrupt practices.

The goal of the project is to unmask the beneficial owners of property in three highbrow districts of Abuja namely: Maitama, Asokoro and Wuse as well as encourage the Nigerian government to adopt the non-conviction approach to tackling corruption and channel proceeds of seized property to finance development in Nigeria.

• To build the capacity of target CSOs and Media on the concept of beneficial ownership and its utilization to hide ill-gotten proceeds through ownership of Landed property with building(s) in Abuja and how they can use the knowledge to influence policy space by end of project
• Promote relevant policies that limit the capacities of politically exposed persons to acquire property with proceeds of crime/through corrupt practices.
• To develop an on-line platform to map and share information on ownership of property by politically exposed persons in specific districts of Abuja

Proposed outcome

• Enhanced capacity of 30 persons on the concept of beneficial ownership and how to generate information/data for the platform

•  Clear policy recommendations on property ownership declaration for implementation by the relevant government agencies through advocacy to get recommendations adopted (such as declaration of the names of owners of companies where these are not owned individually, for example)
• Increased pressure on anti-corruption agencies by citizen to investigate property owners based on the information generated by an online platform
• Increased public consciousness on the dangers of stealing public funds to acquire property, which could deter Nigerians PEPs from using Abuja property as destination for corruptly acquired wealth.
• Contribute to reduction in number of public servants who invest looted assets in Abuja property