AML/CFT Mastery: Strengthening Compliance and Risk Awareness Across Financial Institutions

A comprehensive Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Training Program designed to strengthen the compliance capacity of Ethiopia’s capital market intermediaries and service providers. Grounded in the ECMA AML/CFT Compliance Training Regime, this program equips participants with the knowledge, practical tools, and governance mindset required to uphold the integrity of Ethiopia’s evolving financial ecosystem.

By the end of this training, participants will be able to:

• Understand Ethiopia’s AML/CFT laws and ECMA requirements.

• Identify money laundering and terrorist financing risks.

• Apply a risk-based approach to client and transaction reviews.

• Conduct effective CDD and EDD processes.

• Recognize and report suspicious activities to FIS.

• Implement internal AML/CFT policies and controls.

• Strengthen compliance and governance oversight.

• Promote a culture of integrity and regulatory compliance.

• Support the integrity of Ethiopia’s capital markets.

The Course Content

Day 1 – Introduction and Regulatory Landscape

• Overview of money laundering, terrorist financing, and proliferation financing

• Legal and regulatory framework in Ethiopia: key laws, regulations, the role of NBE and the Financial Intelligence Center

• Understanding the draft NBE directive: scope, obligations, actors

• Risk-based approach to AML/CFT: why it matters for every employee

Day 2 – Customer Due Diligence (CDD) & Know Your Customer (KYC)

• Identifying customers, beneficial owners, and PEPs (Politically Exposed Persons)

• Verifying identity, maintaining records, and understanding ownership structures

• Enhanced due diligence for higher risk customers/situations

• Practical exercises in KYC/CDD: real-world examples

Day 3 – Transaction Monitoring & Suspicious Activity Detection

• Key red flags and typologies of ML/TF in banking and financial services

• Monitoring systems: alerts, filters, thresholds, manual reviews

• Reporting obligations: what to report, when, how to escalate

• Practical workshop: analysing sample transactions and deciding whether to report

Day 4 – Internal Controls, Governance & Compliance Culture

• Building an effective AML/CFT compliance programme: policies, procedures, controls

• Roles and responsibilities: board, senior management, compliance officer, all staff

• Training, awareness, audits, and testing for compliance effectiveness

• Case study: institutional failures and lessons learned

Day 5 – Implementation, International Standards & Emerging Trends

• Aligning with international standards (e.g., Financial Action Task Force – FATF) and cross-border considerations

• Sanctions screening, trade-based money laundering, and emerging digital and fintech risks

• Action planning: each participant develops a department-level AML/CFT implementation roadmap

• Wrap-up, Q&A and evaluation

Certificate and Accreditation

Nexus Advisory Certificate of Completion for delegates who attend and complete the training course