GIABA at 25: West Africa’s Financial Watchdog Marks a Milestone Celebrations in Monrovia, Liberia.
By Raymond Enoch
For twenty five years, the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) has quietly anchored the region’s defences against dirty money and terror financing, shaping laws, guiding reforms and strengthening institutions across ECOWAS. Created in 2000 by the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS as a specialised institution, GIABA has since grown into a respected regional assessment body and a fully recognised FATF-style regional body, helping West African states protect their financial systems and economies from abuse.
Monrovia, Liberia, became the focal point of that legacy as GIABA’s 25th anniversary was celebrated with a colourful gala night hosted by the Liberian Government during the GIABA plenary on 21 November 2025. The event blended ceremony, reflection and renewed political commitment.
The Vice President of the ECOWAS Commission, H.E. Damtien L. TCHINTCHIBIDJA, led the ECOWAS delegation to the celebration and joined Liberia’s Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Hon. Oswald N. TWEH, and the Director General of GIABA, Mr. Edwin W. Harris Jr., in honouring the institution’s quarter-century journey. Their presence underscored GIABA’s role not just as a technical body, but as a strategic pillar of regional security, governance and economic stability.
At the occasion, the former Director General of GIABA and former Nigerian Ambassador to the Russian Federation, Prof. Abdullahi Yibaikwal Shehu, OFR, was recognised for his contribution to the organisation’s intellectual and institutional legacy. Prof. Shehu authored a new book documenting GIABA’s evolution, tracing how the body has matured from an emerging ECOWAS mechanism into a robust and credible regional authority on anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism.
The book was formally presented to the public by H.E. Damtien L. TCHINTCHIBIDJA, symbolising both continuity and renewal within GIABA’s leadership and governance architecture. The gesture highlighted how political backing at the highest levels of ECOWAS has been crucial to GIABA’s success, particularly in driving member states to adopt and implement tougher AML/CFT frameworks.
Throughout the night, speakers paid tribute to the progress achieved under GIABA’s watch: support to member states to modernise their laws, establishment and strengthening of Financial Intelligence Units, improved regional cooperation on investigations, and mutual evaluations that have pushed countries to close loopholes exploited by criminal and terrorist networks.
Hon. Oswald N. TWEH and Mr. Edwin W. Harris Jr. were particularly lauded for Liberia’s role in hosting the anniversary during a key plenary session, turning Monrovia into a hub of regional dialogue on financial integrity. The setting reinforced GIABA’s message that robust AML/CFT systems are essential not only for security, but also for investment confidence and sustainable development in West Africa.
As GIABA steps beyond its 25th year, the Monrovia celebration signalled a renewed resolve: with leaders like H.E. Damtien L. TCHINTCHIBIDJA, Hon. Oswald N. TWEH, Mr. Edwin W. Harris Jr. and Prof. Abdullahi Yibaikwal Shehu in the spotlight, the region is committing to deepen cooperation, adapt to emerging financial crime threats and ensure that the gains of the last quarter-century are not only protected but expanded.
