The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Olanipekun Olukoyede, has raised concerns that about six out of every ten university students in Nigeria are involved in cybercrime.
Olukoyede made the disclosure at the 8th Biennial Conference of the Committee of Pro-Chancellors of State-Owned Universities held in Kano.
He described the development as deeply worrying, noting that EFCC investigations and field operations have consistently revealed widespread involvement of undergraduates in internet fraud and related offences.
According to him, many of those arrested during recent cybercrime operations are students, with some allegedly using illicit means to influence academic processes, including bribing lecturers.
The EFCC chairman also revealed that in a major operation in Lagos, 792 suspects linked to a transnational cybercrime network were arrested, a significant number of whom were students.
He expressed concern over the growing trend of “Yahoo Plus,” where internet fraud is combined with fetish practices.
Olukoyede called on university authorities to urgently address the menace by strengthening internal controls and collaborating more effectively with security agencies.
He further urged pro-chancellors to adopt artificial intelligence-driven governance systems to improve transparency, enhance financial accountability, and detect fraud within universities.
He noted that many tertiary institutions still rely on manual administrative systems, making them vulnerable to corruption such as payroll fraud, inflated contracts, and diversion of funds.
“A university that lacks financial accountability cannot credibly train future professionals. The integrity of our universities is a matter of national security,” he said.
Olukoyede also emphasized the role of artificial intelligence in strengthening fraud detection, payroll management, procurement monitoring, and auditing processes.
He, however, stressed that AI should complement human oversight and be implemented in line with existing legal frameworks, including data protection regulations.
The EFCC boss called for increased investment in digital infrastructure and capacity building in cybersecurity, machine learning, and digital governance across Nigerian universities.
