FATF Clears Côte d’Ivoire and DR Congo as Four African Countries Remain on Grey List

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) removed Côte d’Ivoire and the Democratic Republic of the Congo from its grey list on October 30, 2026, after on-site assessments confirmed that both countries had completed their agreed reforms against money laundering and terrorist financing.

Côte d’Ivoire secured removal after improving financial intelligence, international cooperation and investigations into financial crimes. In DR Congo, reforms strengthened supervision of non-financial businesses and the capacity of authorities responsible for investigating illicit transactions. Both countries will continue working with regional monitoring bodies to maintain the standards required by FATF.

South Sudan remains under scrutiny after FATF found limited progress despite the expiry of all its action-plan deadlines. Cameroon also missed its deadlines, although the organisation acknowledged improvements in information sharing and financial supervision. Kenya and Angola remain listed over unresolved weaknesses in financial investigations, company ownership transparency and enforcement.

The October decisions leave four African countries working towards removal, while Côte d’Ivoire and DR Congo must sustain their completed reforms. Their next assessments will examine whether the financial controls introduced by governments are producing results in supervision, investigations and prosecutions.

Côte d’Ivoire and DR Congo Face Continued Oversight After FATF Removal

Côte d’Ivoire increased money-laundering and terrorist-financing investigations and prosecutions, using financial intelligence and international cooperation to support enforcement.

FATF also recognised improvements in verifying company ownership records, applying penalties for non-compliance and supervising banks and non-financial businesses according to their exposure to financial crime.

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, authorities completed a national assessment of money-laundering and terrorist-financing risks and adopted a strategy addressing the identified deficiencies.

The government designated supervisors for non-financial businesses and provided additional resources to its financial intelligence unit. Investigative capacity and the implementation of targeted financial sanctions also improved.

FATF determined in June 2026 that both countries had substantially completed their action plans and authorised on-site assessments to verify implementation. The successful assessments preceded their October removal, ending the additional scrutiny associated with increased monitoring.

Côte d’Ivoire will continue working with the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA), while DR Congo remains under regional follow-up through GABAC and ESAAMLG.

These assessments will continue examining compliance with international financial crime standards. Neither country has received a new FATF action plan or an automatic deadline for returning to increased monitoring.

South Sudan and Cameroon Miss Financial Reform Deadlines

South Sudan has yet to establish a fully functioning, independent financial intelligence unit, despite the expiry of all deadlines under its FATF action plan.

The October 2026 assessment found limited progress in addressing weaknesses in financial supervision, access to company ownership records and the implementation of targeted sanctions against terrorism and proliferation financing.

The country’s outstanding requirements also include stronger coordination between financial supervisors and law enforcement agencies. Authorities must demonstrate that suspicious transaction reports can support money-laundering investigations and prosecutions. FATF called for renewed political commitment to completing the reforms but did not identify sufficient progress to end increased monitoring.

Cameroon has made greater progress in information sharing. FATF recognised improvements in secure exchanges between its financial intelligence unit, reporting institutions and investigative authorities. The government also expanded outreach to nonprofit organisations exposed to terrorist-financing risks.

All Cameroon’s action-plan deadlines have nevertheless expired. FATF still requires effective risk-based supervision of financial and non-financial businesses, stronger procedures for identifying and confiscating criminal assets and implementation of targeted financial sanctions without delay. The organisation acknowledged continued progress but retained Cameroon under increased monitoring.

Neither country has been moved to FATF’s high-risk blacklist or received a formal announcement of impending countermeasures. Their outstanding action plans remain the basis for continued monitoring.

FATF Seeks More Financial Crime Prosecutions in Kenya and Angola

Kenya has strengthened financial supervision and the use of suspicious transaction reports, while designating an authority to regulate trusts and collect beneficial ownership information.

FATF’s October 2026 assessment nevertheless found that authorities must take more effective action against companies and trusts that breach ownership disclosure requirements. The country also needs more money-laundering investigations and prosecutions consistent with its identified financial crime risks.

Angola’s regulatory improvements have concentrated on supervision. Authorities developed inspection manuals and plans and allocated additional resources to risk-based oversight of financial institutions.

FATF still identified deficiencies in supervising non-bank businesses and obtaining accurate company ownership records, alongside insufficient money-laundering prosecutions and terrorist-financing investigations.

The Angolan authorities must also establish effective procedures for implementing targeted financial sanctions without delay. These requirements remain part of the country’s unfinished FATF action plan, despite improvements in its supervisory capacity.

Neither country’s grey-list status automatically requires banks to terminate financial relationships or apply enhanced due diligence to every transaction.

FATF expects financial institutions to assess risks, while national regulators determine the applicable compliance requirements. Kenya and Angola remain under increased monitoring until FATF verifies that their outstanding reforms have been completed.

FATF’s 2027 Reviews Will Assess Africa’s Financial Crime Reforms

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) approved tailored assessments for jurisdictions with limited regulatory capacity in October 2026. The revised approach will focus on the financial crime risks identified in each country and whether national authorities can investigate offences, supervise financial institutions and enforce sanctions. FATF has not announced which African jurisdictions will be assessed under the new arrangements.

The next plenary, scheduled for February 22–26, 2027, could bring further decisions on countries under increased monitoring. Removal requires completion of outstanding action plans and verification of the reforms. No timetable has been announced for clearing South Sudan, Cameroon, Kenya or Angola.

FATF is also examining how criminal networks move proceeds from online scams across borders. Its November 5 report documented the use of bank accounts, payment services and virtual assets to transfer stolen funds, sometimes within two minutes.

The organisation identified the first 24–72 hours after detection as critical for freezing criminal proceeds, placing greater importance on cooperation between financial intelligence units and financial institutions.

Côte d’Ivoire and DR Congo remain subject to regional follow-up after leaving increased monitoring. For the four countries still listed, the next FATF decisions will depend on completed reforms and evidence from financial supervision, criminal investigations and prosecutions. No African country has received a confirmed blacklist escalation under the October decisions.