KEY POINTS

• EFCC reports that 60% of Nigerian university students may be involved in cybercrime, based on recent investigations.
• Weak university oversight and corruption, including students bribing lecturers, are fueling the trend.
• Authorities urge adoption of AI and stronger institutional controls to detect fraud and restore academic integrity.

The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, has raised serious concerns over the growing involvement of Nigerian university students in cybercrime, revealing that an estimated six out of every ten undergraduates may be engaged in internet fraud.

He made this disclosure during the 8th biennial conference of the Committee of Pro-Chancellors of State-Owned Universities in Nigeria, held in Kano. The conference focused on leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to improve university governance, global competitiveness, and academic rankings.

According to Olukoyede, findings from EFCC operations over the past year paint a troubling picture of widespread involvement of students in fraudulent online activities.

Systemic Failures in Universities Blamed for Trend

The EFCC chairman attributed the alarming trend to deep-rooted structural issues within Nigeria’s university system. He highlighted weak institutional oversight, lack of accountability, and compromised academic systems as key drivers.

In a shocking revelation, Olukoyede disclosed that some students involved in cybercrime allegedly use illicit funds to influence lecturers, placing them on unofficial payrolls to secure academic advantages. This, he warned, undermines the integrity and credibility of higher education in the country.

He further cited a major EFCC operation in Lagos in December 2024, where 792 suspected cybercriminals were arrested, many of whom were confirmed to be students. The incident, he said, exposed the scale and organization of cybercrime networks within academic environments.

Beyond conventional internet fraud, Olukoyede also raised alarm over the increasing prevalence of “Yahoo Plus”—a disturbing evolution of cybercrime that combines digital fraud with ritualistic or fetish practices.

He described the trend as not only criminal but also socially dangerous, urging urgent intervention from both educational institutions and law enforcement agencies.