ABOUT US
Our Motto
Excel in truth, integrity & Justice
The Compliance Officers Forum of GIABA member States (COFGMS) is an association of compliance professionals from the various reporting entities from GIABA Member States registered as a Non-Profit Organization limited by guarantee in Lagos – Nigeria and Accra, Ghana with an operational office in Lagos.
The idea to create COFGMS was consensual in 2015 during the GIABA Regional Workshop on Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Risk Assessment for Financial Institutions and Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions (DNFBP), in Saly, Senegal.
The Forum was formally launched in Togo – Lomé on November 30, 2018, with the approval of its Bye-law, at the end of the GIABA Joint Regional Meeting of Chief Compliance Officers of Financial Institutions/DNFBPs and Competent Authorities on Emerging Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Issues, held at Eda-Oba Hotel, from November 27-30, following by the election of the first Executive Council.
The Forum is an initiative of GIABA and is part of its continued efforts to strengthen collaboration among reporting institutions in the effective implementation of anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) preventive measures within its region.
VISION & MISSION
- To be a group driven by a shared commitment to international best practices in compliance.
- We are committed to the enthronement of a sustainable compliance culture in the GIABA member States' financial services industry through collaboration and implementation of measures aimed at expanding the frontiers of professionalism in line with best practices.
GIABA Member States
Burkina Faso
Federal Republic of Nigeria
Guine-Bissau
Republic of Benin
Republic of Cape Verde
Republic of Côte d'Ivoire
Republic of Ghana
Republic of Guinea
Republic of Liberia
Republic of Mali
Republic of Niger
Republic of Senegal
Republic of Sierra Leone
Republic of The Gambia
São Tomé and Príncipe
Togolese Republic
Union of Comoros
MEMBERSHIP
Membership of the forum is open to all compliance officers of reporting entities of GIABA member states. Three categories of membership are available: Individual, DNFPB and Corporate.
DNFBP
Examples of Designated Non-Financial Business and Professions (DNFBPs) are Lawyers, Accountants, Auditors, etc
Members are required to pay their respective annual dues to enjoy all the membership benefits.
Our Objectives
- To encourage and facilitate a forum for interaction and the exchange of information, ideas, and experiences among the members and other stakeholders.
- To encourage and promote the culture of compliance among GIABA member States reporting entities
- To collaborate with law enforcement agencies and regulators in the fight against money laundering and terrorist financing risks in GIABA member States
- To develop and promote training and awareness programmes in compliance within the GIABA member States reporting entities
- To generate constructive collaboration necessary for the development and effective implementation of compliance related policies among GIABA member States reporting entities
- To identify, develop, encourage, and promote the implementation of best practices and standards on compliance matters among GIABA member States reporting entities
- To promote the professional status, image, and credibility of its members and their institutions
- To articulate and contribute views on the formulation and implementation of compliance related policies, laws, and regulations in GIABA member States
- To facilitate better relationships among the members and their reporting entities on the one hand and the regulators and law enforcement agencies on the other hand, on compliance related matters
SUB-COMMITTEES
In attaining the vision of COFGMS, its established four sub-committees with various roles as detailed of the Bye Law
- i. The Research and Emerging Issues Sub-committee
- ii. The Information Technology Sub-committee
- iii. The Training and Development Sub-committee
- iv. The Dispute Resolution Sub-committee
- i. The Research and Emerging Issues Sub-committee
- ii. The Information Technology Sub-committee
- iii. The Training and Development Sub-committee
- iv. The Dispute Resolution Sub-committee
EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
Position in the Forum Executives COFGMS & Country GIABA Member States
President
Vânia Alexandra Coronel da Rosa
Chief Compliance Officer of Banco Caboverdiano de Negócios SA – Cape Verde
1st Vice President
Benjamin Ndego
Senior Compliance and Risk Manager for Africa & MLRO of Travelex – Ghana
2nd Vice President
Diallo Boubacar Cellou
Chief Compliance Officer of Ecobank – Senegal
Executive secretary
Festus Akokofe Aisagbonhi
Head Financial Crime Compliance/MLRO of Access Bank Plc – Nigeria
Secretary
Sarah Chika Uzoho
Association of Bureau de change operators of Nigeria (ABCON) – Nigeria
Assistant Secretary
Kojo Gilman Weeks
Chief Compliance Officer of International Bank Limited – Liberia
Financial Secretary
Femi Jaiyeola
Chief Compliance Officer of Access Bank Plc – Nigeria
Publicity Secretary
Dossou Amina
Chief Compliance Officer of Ecobank - Cote d’Ivoire
EX-OFFICO
Pattison Boleigha
Managing Director, Pattison Consulting Limited – Nigeria
Idrissa Diop
Director Compliance, African Import Export Bank – Egypt
Tavares Igualdino
Chief Compliance Officer of Banco Internacional de São Tome & Principe – São Tomé e Príncipe
Abdou Rahmane DIOP
Chief Compliance Officer / Head of Compliance & Permanent Controls, Credit Du Senegal - Senegal
Observers
The sector regulators, Financial Intelligence Unit, relevant Law Enforcement Agencies, and National sub-sectoral AML/CFT compliance associations or forums of each of the GIABA member States shall be entitled to be represented at the meetings as Observers.
For this purpose, they shall nominate their representatives and communicate their details to the Forum.
The Forum may allow any other organizations, as the general meeting may determine, from time to time, to participate in the activities of the Forum as observers. The conditions for the participation of any such organizations shall be determined by the General Meeting.