GGA

"It was actually very confusing" when authorities vaguely referred to the men as Al-Shabaab, said Malik Samuel, an Abuja-based conflict researcher with the NGO @GGA_org @GGA_Nigeria.  The "clarification" that they were linked to ISWAP, not the Somalis, "adds to the confusion about how the intelligence agents actually got their facts (and) their evidence", he said.

The SAI ACA Anti-Corruption Seminar 2026 marked a decisive shift from being "historians of failure" to becoming the "architects of trust," delivering a powerful blueprint for radical accountability across the continent. This milestone event, made possible through the invaluable strategic partnership with AFROSAI-E, opened with a stark reminder from Josephine Mukomba that systemic corruption is a "gnawing cancer" stifling Africa’s economic lifeblood. This sentiment was echoed by Dr Ulrich Wehnert, PhD (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH), who framed the dismantling of illicit financial flows as an economic necessity for mobilising domestic resources. Karam Jeet Singh of Good Governance Africa drove the point home, arguing that capital is not a coward but a calculation; for Africa to thrive, integrity must become its primary competitive advantage. The seminar didn't shy away from uncomfortable truths. John Anthony (GIZ Malawi) issued a sobering warning that the global success rate for recovering illicit funds sits at a mere 1%, calling for a "strategy of will" and a "criminal architecture" of our own to match the speed of global kleptocrats. This call for strength was bolstered by Hon. Warren Mwambazi from Office of The Auditor General Zambia, who advocated for giving parliamentarians the forensic "legal teeth" necessary to break through institutional silos. Beyond the technical, the seminar offered a heartfelt plea for the protection of whistleblowers—the "human sensors of integrity" who see the "handshake in the dark." By moving from the "sampling teaspoon" to the "digital excavator" of AI-driven auditing and enforcing personal financial liability through the Public Audit Amendment Act, the message to the world is clear: Africa is no longer seeking pity—it is building the transparent, predictable conditions required for sustainable global investment. #Audit2026 #GoodGovernance #AfroSAIE

It was an honour to be invited last Tuesday, 24 March 2026, by the Ambassador of Sweden to Nigeria, H.E. Anna Westerholm, to a reception by the Embassy of Sweden in Abuja in honour of Sweden’s State Secretary for Foreign Trade, H.E. Diana Janse, who was on an official visit to Nigeria, accompanied by all Swedish Ambassadors and Heads of Development Cooperation accredited to Africa, as well as senior officials from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Stockholm. As one of the speakers, I addressed the conflict in the Lake Chad Basin, as part of my work for @GGA_org and @GGA_Nigeria. Given the limited time, I focused on two key aspects: the drivers behind the recent spike in attacks and their implications. Below are the highlights of my remarks. ·      The recent surge in attacks isn't just about more fighters – it's about a fundamental shift in strategy, coordination, and regional dynamics. ·      What’s changed? ISIS has pivoted to Africa after setbacks in the Middle East. This has brought foreign fighters with medical, tech, and military expertise, enabling better planning and intra-group competition (from "Kill them wherever you find them" in 2024, “Camp Holocaust” in 2025 to the "Ramadan campaign" in 2026). ·      Regional fragmentation is a force multiplier. The ECOWAS fracturing and the formation of the AES mean responses are now in silos. Niger’s withdrawal from the MNJTF has created blind spots in intelligence and eliminated the right of pursuit across borders. ·      Groups are exploiting these gaps. Porous borders now allow for seamless cross-border recruitment and movement, while the lack of cooperation makes joint operations nearly impossible. ·      Inter-group dynamics are also shifting. We’re seeing a cessation of hostilities between JAS and ISWAP, and new collaborations (JAS-Lakurawa-JNIM). This is creating a more networked and resilient insurgency. ·      The crime-terror nexus is fueling it all. Illegal mining and kidnapping for ransom are major revenue streams. Crucially, states are inadvertently financing terror through ransom payments. ·      The implications are severe: Security: More sophisticated, frequent attacks and a weakening of joint forces. Governance: Eroding state authority and the expansion of insurgent control. Humanitarian: Restricted aid, mass displacement, and worsening food insecurity. ·      The era of isolated insurgencies is over. This is a networked threat that demands a coordinated, cross-border response. Without renewed regional cooperation, the security vacuum will only deepen.

The era of "placeholder" sustainability is officially dead. Over two high-stakes days at the Future of Sustainability conference, the conversation shifted from vague corporate promises to a hard-hitting mandate for radical transparency and African agency. We are moving rapidly away from the "trust me" model of ESG toward a world of financial-grade, audit-ready information where green data is no longer a compliance burden, but a vital strategic asset. As the industry faces rising climate litigation and global scrutiny, these sessions dismantled the fluff, proving that for an organization to have a future, its reporting must have integrity. The heartbeat of the conference was anchored in the "how" of delivery. Nelson Muffuh (@nmuffuh) , UN Resident Coordinator, issued a stirring call to action: Africa is no longer a passive recipient of global agendas; it is the architect of its own destiny. Against a backdrop of fiscal pressure and climate shocks, the mission is clear—we must align capital with outcomes that protect natural systems and drive social cohesion. This isn't just theory; it’s about the survival of our regional economies. This sentiment was grounded in the lived realities of South Africans by moderator @LeanneManas, who cut through the high-level discourse to highlight the biting energy divide and the unsustainable cost of living driven by rising petrol prices. Her message was a sobering reminder that a "green transition" is only successful if it is affordable and inclusive for the average citizen. True sustainability, however, is being built from the ground up. Ayanda Nkosi of @HEINEKENBevs  showcased the power of localised value chains, demonstrating how integrating local farmers and SMEs into procurement isn't just "good PR"—it’s a scalable engine for long-term financial resilience. By prioritising domestic sourcing, Heineken provided a roadmap for moving beyond abstract goals toward practical, measurable empowerment. This vision for a more equitable future was given its moral compass by the "Young, Gifted and Green" panel, where youth leaders Amelia Francis, Lesedi Monnanyane, and Solami Buthelezi demanded a seat at the table of environmental governance. Their voices served as the ultimate reminder: the systems we build today are the world they must inhabit tomorrow. The #FOS2026 conference made one thing certain—the time for estimates is over; the time for execution is here. #FutureOfSustainability @Topco_Media #GoodGovernance #ESG #AfricanAgency #FOS2026

Singh adds by saying Africa doesn't need the world’s pity but needs the world’s investment instead. Investment follows confidence. And confidence is built when detection leads to action, and action leads to consequences that reshape behavior. He advisees that we move from identifying problems to solving them. @AFROSAIE

Capital is not a coward; it’s a calculation. Investors seek destinations where the rules are clear and consequences are certain. The "invisibility tax" of corruption makes infrastructure more expensive and national debt more burdensome. We must build systems that change behaviour, not just files. - Karam Singh, GGA SARO @AFROSAIE

On the third and final day of the SAI - ACA Anti-Corruption Conference 2026, Karam Singh, GGA SARO’s Head of Liaison and Advocacy, delivered a powerful keynote. His message was clear: we must stop being "historians of failure" and become architects of trust. Credibility is built on consequences, not just reports. ⚖️ #Audit2026 #GoodGovernance

Kleptocrats move money faster than a domestic warrant can be typed. The momentum for an International Anti-Corruption Court (IACC) is a capacity accelerator. It targets the global network of professional enablers (the bankers and lawyers) who ensure there's no safe haven for stolen wealth. - Karam Singh, GGA SARO

"Hope is not a strategy", says Singh. Real-time auditing acts as a functional immune system, attacking corruption at the point of infection. By auditing in parallel with the procurement cycle, we create a "prevention dividend" that protects the public purse and bolsters investor confidence. @AFROSAIE

Technology sees patterns, but whistleblowers see the "handshake in the dark." We need a life jacket for those who risk their careers to save the state. By incentivising and protecting these human sensors of integrity, we effectively multiply the eyes of the auditor by a thousand. - Karam Singh, GGA SARO

Accountability is only real when it hits the personal bank account. The Public Audit Amendment Act and the "Certificate of Debt" move the auditor from a commentator to a quasi-judicial enforcer. If you fail to protect the public purse, the state can now recover funds from your personal assets. - Karam Singh, GGA SARO @AFROSAIE

We are moving from the "sampling teaspoon" to the "digital excavator." In 2026, 100% population analysis through AI and ML is the new standard. When every transaction is scanned by a machine that cannot be bribed, the risk-reward calculation for corruption changes forever. - Karam Singh, GGA SARO @AFROSAIE

@GGA_org @Sazedek @GGA_Nigeria Thank you for your work presenting good analysis without emotional hype.

Beyond the immediate environmental and labour abuses lies a more insidious form of exploitation: the economic dispossession of landowners through imbalanced contracts. The report highlights how Hong Tai Quarry secures 20-year land leases that lock local farmers into static, inflation-eroded compensation as low as ₦15,000 ($11) per plot annually. These legally coherent but economically predatory agreements function as "creeping" land grabs, stripping families of their sustainable agricultural livelihoods in exchange for marginal payments that fail to track Nigeria's rising cost of living. With no mechanisms for renegotiation or environmental remediation, these contracts ensure that while corporate returns soar, the long-term economic value of the land is externalised, leaving host communities in a cycle of deepening poverty: gga.org/licensed-to-ex…

SAI - ACA Anti Corruption Conference 2026 in pictures.....

Drawing on a career that spans the foiling of the 2006 transatlantic liquid bomb plot to modern-day organised crime investigations, John Anthony (GIZ Malawi) issued a stark warning to the anti-corruption community: the current global success rate for recovering illicit funds is a mere 1%. Anthony argued that while the "theory" of global financial standards (FATF) is sound, the results are failing because of a persistent refusal to move beyond superficial cooperation. Using the intelligence failures of 9/11 as a cautionary tale, he noted that the attackers moved money through legitimate banks and utilised "enablers" who provided a legal veneer for mass murder. The lesson, Anthony stressed, is that collaboration is not an MOU but a strategy of will. Success in high-stakes investigations requires a "criminal architecture" of our own—one built on integrated sharing mechanisms that span years and borders. "Collaboration begins with trust and ends in accountability," Anthony concluded, challenging every agency in the room to move past the "silo" mentality and turn transparency into a functional weapon against systemic instability.

Corruption is a tax on development that African citizens can no longer afford. Speaking on the urgent link between governance and FDI, Hon. Warren Mwambazi highlighted that attracting sustainable investment requires more than just opportunity—it requires a clean, predictable climate built on the rule of law. Mwambazi underscored that as we face modern complexities—from climate finance to the rapid advancement of Artificial Intelligence—parliamentarians must be equipped with the forensic and investigative "legal teeth" necessary for effective oversight. By moving beyond institutional silos and embracing the 2026–2030 strategic collaboration between SADCOPAC and AFROSAI-E, Africa can turn accountability into its most attractive investment feature.

"When domestic systems are paralysed by 'systemic capture,' the proposed International Anti-Corruption Court (IACCourt) provides a vital mechanism for asset recovery. It isn’t a replacement for national law, but a complementary layer to ensure grand corruption has no place to hide. Ultimately, the goal is to turn integrity into a competitive advantage for the continent; by strengthening the link between public mandates and enforcement, Africa can create the transparent conditions required for sustainable growth and long-term direct foreign investment," says Karam Singh, Head of Liaison and Advocacy at GGA SARO. @AFROSAIE