London, UK – October 22, 2025 – The Charity Commission for England and Wales has frozen more than 100 bank accounts linked to the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries International (MFM International), the UK arm of the prominent Nigerian Pentecostal church, following a seven-year investigation that uncovered “serious misconduct and mismanagement” in its financial operations. The decision, detailed in a damning report released on October 20, highlights rampant autonomy among the charity’s 90-plus branches, leading to unchecked spending, delayed filings, and potential misappropriation of donor funds—prompting widespread shock among the global MFM community.
Founded in 1989 by Dr. Daniel K. Olukoya in Lagos, Nigeria, MFM has grown into a powerhouse of “prayer warrior” evangelism, boasting millions of followers worldwide through its emphasis on spiritual warfare and deliverance ministries. Its UK operations, registered as a charity since 2004, reported £2.71 million in income for 2023 alone, primarily from tithes, offerings, and branch activities. However, the Commission’s inquiry—launched in March 2018 after concerns over late financial submissions and auditor-qualified accounts for 2014 and 2015—painted a picture of a sprawling network that outpaced its oversight mechanisms.
Key findings from the 40-page report reveal that branches across the UK operated with alarming independence, opening bank accounts without central approval, failing to report income promptly, and making major decisions—like property acquisitions—sans trustee knowledge. This “autonomous” structure exposed charitable assets to “substantial risks,” resulting in inaccurate reporting and, in some instances, outright financial losses, including idle funds totaling hundreds of thousands of pounds frozen in February 2022 to halt further misuse. The regulator slammed the charity’s outdated 2004 constitution, which granted Olukoya—referred to as “Trustee A”—unfettered powers to appoint and dismiss trustees, effectively stifling independent governance.
“Trustees’ fundamental failure to maintain financial controls meant donor funds were at serious risk across their entire network,” stated Amy Spiller, Head of Investigations at the Charity Commission, underscoring breaches of trustees’ legal duty to manage resources responsibly. Compounding the issues were repeated delays in submitting accounts—late in four of the last five years prior to the inquiry—and improper handling of conflicts of interest, such as paid employees serving as trustees, a violation corrected only in July 2024.
The saga dates back to 2017, when the Commission first engaged trustees over “potentially significant losses” tied to administrative lapses across MFM’s then-40 branches. By August 2019, amid ongoing non-compliance, the regulator appointed Adam Stephens of Evelyn Partners as interim manager—a role that lasted until September 2024 and cost the charity over £1 million plus VAT in fees—to overhaul financial processes, inspect branches, and recommend structural reforms. Stephens’ intervention stabilized operations, but the freeze on assets persists to safeguard funds pending full compliance.
Social media erupted in Nigeria and the UK diaspora following the report’s leak on platforms like X (formerly Twitter), where #MFMFreeze and #OlukoyaScandal trended with over 200,000 posts in 48 hours. Devout members defended the ministry, with one X user posting, “MFM is under spiritual attack—prayers up for Daddy GO [General Overseer],” while critics decried it as symptomatic of unchecked growth in megachurches. Prominent voices, including UK-based Nigerian pastor Tunde Bakare, called for transparency, tweeting: “Growth without governance is a recipe for downfall. Time for African ministries to level up.”
MFM International has not issued a formal statement, but sources close to the organization insist the issues stem from rapid expansion—from a handful of branches to nearly 90—rather than deliberate fraud, and that reforms are underway. In September 2024, the Commission lifted the interim management after trustees completed an action plan covering governance, HR policies, and asset management. Olukoya, 70, who leads the global MFM from its Yaba, Lagos headquarters, has faced prior scrutiny, including UK visa denials in 2019 amid unrelated allegations, but remains a polarizing figure revered for his books on spiritual warfare.
This probe serves as a stark reminder for international faith-based charities navigating complex regulations. As Spiller warned, “The rapid growth of a charity comes with correspondingly larger potential risks.” With assets still locked and reforms mandated, MFM’s UK faithful brace for an uncertain future—will it emerge stronger through “deliverance,” or face lasting reputational scars? The Commission vows ongoing monitoring, emphasizing that any proven misuse could trigger criminal referrals.
For the full report and updates, visit the Charity Commission’s website.