The United Kingdom’s Charity Commission has frozen the assets of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries International, a Nigerian-founded church, after finding serious financial mismanagement across its UK branches.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the Commission said MFM’s trustees failed to properly oversee the organisation’s finances, leading to concerns about the possible misuse of charitable funds.
The Charity Commission, which regulates registered charities in England and Wales, said the decision followed a detailed statutory inquiry into the church’s operations.
Founded by Nigerian cleric Dr. Daniel Olukoya, MFM is one of Nigeria’s most influential Pentecostal churches, with a strong global footprint, particularly in the UK, where it runs dozens of branches serving Nigerian diaspora communities.
Background of the Investigation
The Charity Commission first launched a statutory inquiry into MFM on March 27, 2018, under Section 46 of the UK Charities Act 2011, after receiving reports of weak financial controls and possible misappropriation of funds.
Investigators found that the church had expanded rapidly in the UK, from a few branches to over 90 locations nationwide, without establishing a centralised financial governance system. Over 100 separate bank accounts were opened and operated independently by various branches, often without notifying the charity’s trustees or submitting income reports.
Findings from the Inquiry
The Commission’s final report revealed that several branches made major financial decisions, including property purchases and lease agreements, without proper authorisation.
Some locations even operated without necessary planning permissions, resulting in expensive legal disputes.
The report also cited poor employment management, inconsistent record-keeping, and inadequate oversight of charitable funds. It concluded that the lack of unified financial control exposed donor money to significant risk.
Regulatory Intervention
Due to these concerns, the Commission appointed an interim manager on August 1, 2019, under Section 76(3)(g) of the Charities Act, to help restore order and implement strong financial systems.
The interim oversight lasted until September 13, 2024, after which notable progress was reported.
Upon completing its review, the Commission froze MFM’s assets to safeguard funds while requiring the trustees to adopt a comprehensive regulatory action plan aimed at strengthening governance and ensuring full compliance with UK charity laws.
Statement from the Charity Commission
Amy Spiller, Head of Investigations at the Charity Commission, said, “The rapid growth of a charity comes with correspondingly larger potential risks, as our inquiry clearly shows. In this case, the trustees’ fundamental failure to maintain financial controls meant donor funds were at serious risk across their entire network.”
She added that the trustees are now better equipped to ensure financial accountability following the Commission’s intervention.
Current Status
The Charity Commission confirmed that MFM has complied with the action plan and will now operate under stricter financial regulations.
As of press time, neither MFM International nor its founder, Dr. Daniel Olukoya, had issued an official statement. Calls and messages sent to Collins Edomaruse, Mr. Olukoya’s media aide, went unanswered.
The case has reignited debate about the financial transparency of fast-growing African churches operating abroad, many of which are still adapting to the stringent regulatory standards in countries like the United Kingdom.
