The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it is strengthening its digital systems and cybersecurity capabilities to counter increasingly sophisticated financial crimes, including technology-enabled fraud and cross-border movement of illicit funds.
EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede disclosed this at the second International Cybersecurity Conference in Abuja on Tuesday. He was represented by Nwanyinma Okeanu, Deputy Director of the commission’s Public Affairs Department.
Olukoyede said criminals were exploiting digital technologies to target large numbers of people, transfer money across borders and conceal illicit financial activities, requiring law enforcement agencies to adapt their investigative methods.
“For us in law enforcement, the message is clear: as crime evolves, our response must evolve with it,” he said.
The EFCC chairman said the commission had introduced a digital transformation programme to reduce manual processes, improve access to information, automate workflows and increase operational efficiency.
The programme has produced several digital platforms to support the commission’s work, including the e-Petition Platform, Enterprise Case Management System, Fraud Risk Assessment and Management System, and Asset Management System.
These systems are intended to improve the handling of complaints, case records, fraud risks and recovered assets while supporting more efficient investigations.
Olukoyede cautioned, however, that digital transformation also creates new security risks, making stronger network protection, information security, access controls and incident response mechanisms necessary.
The conference examined cybersecurity and resilience amid the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI), which can be exploited to facilitate fraud, spread disinformation and impersonate individuals or institutions.
Participants discussed the need for stronger institutional safeguards and public awareness as governments, financial institutions and businesses become increasingly dependent on digital systems.
Sen. Momo Cyprus, chairman of the Defence, Intelligence and Security Committee of the Liberian Senate, called for responsible use of AI to protect citizens, institutions and national security.
Cyprus said AI could improve public services, expand access to education, accelerate research and support African innovation. However, he warned that its misuse could facilitate fraud, spread disinformation and weaken public confidence in political institutions.
He urged citizens to develop digital literacy and critical thinking skills, advising them to verify information and exercise caution before responding to suspicious requests or sharing unverified content.
The two-day conference, themed “Cyber Resilience in the Age of AI: Defending Minds, Networks and Nations,” brought together policymakers, cybersecurity professionals, law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders to discuss ways of protecting digital infrastructure.
The discussions highlighted the importance of safeguarding systems used by banks, hospitals, telecommunications operators, energy providers and government institutions.
For the EFCC, stronger digital capabilities are particularly relevant to investigations involving electronic transactions, virtual assets and financial networks that may span several jurisdictions.
The commission’s efforts form part of a broader push to improve Nigeria’s capacity to detect, investigate and prosecute technology-enabled financial crimes as digital services expand. Effective implementation will depend on secure systems, skilled investigators, inter-agency cooperation and appropriate safeguards for personal information and lawful access to digital evidence.
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