In a bid to curb the growing menace of virtual asset and investment fraud, the National Orientation Agency (NOA) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) are set to embark on a nationwide sensitisation campaign to educate Nigerians on the dangers of cybercrime and promote a culture of financial integrity.
While addressing stakeholders at a public lecture in commemoration of African Union Anti-Corruption Day hosted by the EFCC, the Director General of NOA, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, noted that the Agency will be proposing a rollout of a comprehensive Digital Awareness Campaign in some strategically selected states in Nigeria, with the selection based on key vulnerability indicators, including investment fraud, youth population density and digital risk exposures.
Issa-Onilu further disclosed that NOA will pilot a youth-focused initiative designed to instill ethical entrepreneurship, foster financial responsibility, and empower informed decision-making among young Nigerians who are particularly vulnerable to online scams and get-rich-quick schemes.
Emphasising on how the agency is helping in the fight against societal crimes, he said the agency’s innovative AI-powered platform, ‘CLHEEAN’, enables citizens to report crime-related information, which is then directed to the relevant security agencies for necessary action.
In his address, the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, who highlighted the longstanding partnership between the Commission and the NOA, particularly in enlightening the public about government initiatives, also urged Nigerians to cooperate with law enforcement agencies in the fight against financial crimes.
Other distinguished guests in attendance included the Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Dr Emomotimi Agama; the Registrar-General of the Corporate Affairs Commission, Hussaini Ishaq Magaji; alongside representatives from the Women Society of Nigeria and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs).
