In a bold move to tackle the growing menace of cyber-enabled investment and virtual asset fraud, the National Orientation Agency (NOA) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have unveiled plans for a nationwide sensitisation campaign targeted at educating Nigerians particularly the youth on the dangers of online financial scams.
The announcement was made during a public lecture hosted by the EFCC to commemorate the African Union Anti-Corruption Day in Abuja. The Director-General of NOA, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, said the joint campaign will be rolled out across selected states identified as high-risk zones based on indicators such as fraud prevalence, digital exposure, and youth population density.
“The rising cases of online fraud targeting young Nigerians call for urgent and coordinated public enlightenment,” Issa-Onilu said. “This campaign will focus on ethical entrepreneurship, digital literacy, and financial responsibility to help young people make informed choices and avoid falling victim to get-rich-quick schemes.”
He also revealed that NOA’s artificial intelligence-powered platform, CLHEEAN, is playing a critical role in promoting civic reporting. The platform allows Nigerians to submit crime-related information anonymously, which is then shared with relevant security agencies for action.
EFCC Chairman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, in his remarks, reaffirmed the Commission’s longstanding collaboration with NOA in areas of public education and anti-corruption advocacy. He called on citizens to actively support the efforts of law enforcement agencies by reporting fraudulent schemes and resisting the temptation to participate in illicit financial activities.
The event brought together several stakeholders in the financial and regulatory sectors, including the Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Dr. Emomotimi Agama; the Registrar-General of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Hussaini Ishaq Magaji; representatives of the Women Society of Nigeria; and various Civil Society Organisations (CSOs).
The NOA-EFCC partnership is expected to significantly boost public awareness and encourage responsible digital behaviour as part of a broader effort to combat corruption and cybercrime across the country.
