EFCC cybercrime response academy to rehabilitate convicted fraudsters with tech skills and monthly stipends as part of digital reintegration strategy

The EFCC cybercrime response academy is set to launch in 2026, aiming to reform convicted cybercriminals by equipping them with digital skills and supporting their reintegration through monthly allowances.

The initiative was unveiled by the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, during the National Cybersecurity Conference held in Abuja on Wednesday.

The proposed academy will begin with a 500-capacity facility and scale up to accommodate 2,500 individuals. Its purpose, Olukoyede explained, is to redirect the talents of cybercrime convicts into legal and productive sectors of the digital economy.

“We are building a plan now, where we are getting the support of some key development partners to build a 500-capacity cybercrime response centre. We are going to bring in these guys and direct their skills toward the productive sector,” Olukoyede said.

The EFCC chairman noted that participants will receive vocational training and stipends during their stay at the academy.

He added, “We hope this centre will be operational by next year, with 2,500 people. At that time, we will support them with allowances.”

The EFCC cybercrime response academy is part of a broader shift in Nigeria’s approach to cybercrime, which focuses not only on punishment but also on rehabilitation and skill redirection.

Officials believe that channeling digital expertise toward innovation can transform criminal tendencies into national assets.

Olukoyede also disclosed the recent arrest of 194 suspects involved in an international cybercrime network, including 182 foreign nationals allegedly using stolen Nigerian identities.

Of those arrested, 146 have already been convicted, and the foreign convicts will be deported after serving their sentences.

We are going to bring in these guys and direct their skills toward the productive sector.

“After the jail time, they will be repatriated back to their country,” he confirmed.

He emphasised the importance of cross-border partnerships in tackling transnational cyber threats, revealing that the EFCC had recently signed cooperation agreements with the FBI and the Cambodian government.

The EFCC boss expressed alarm at the increasing sophistication of cyberattacks targeting Nigeria’s digital infrastructure.

He warned that, without urgent cybersecurity upgrades, the country risks reversing its digital economic gains.

“Nigeria is going through a digital revolution—mobile banking, digital currencies, e-commerce—but the lack of cyber-readiness threatens these advances,” Olukoyede said.

He called for stronger collaboration among banks, telecom operators, and security agencies.

“We must work together. Financial institutions must share information on time. If they delay, we are reacting to damage rather than preventing it,” he added.

The EFCC cybercrime response academy is expected to feature facilities for training in ethical hacking, cybersecurity defence, digital forensics, and blockchain analysis.

By offering alternatives to cybercrime, the Commission hopes to foster a new generation of tech-savvy Nigerians who contribute to innovation rather than fraud.

Digital analysts welcomed the development but cautioned that its success depends on sustained funding, transparent monitoring, and meaningful post-rehabilitation opportunities.

“This is a bold and necessary step. But follow-through is critical. If the system fails to absorb rehabilitated youth, they could relapse,” said tech consultant Bidemi Oseni.

With cybercrime now one of the fastest-growing threats to Nigeria’s economy, the academy’s launch signals a shift in focus from reactive enforcement to proactive digital reintegration.

As Nigeria strengthens its stance against cyber threats, the EFCC’s latest strategy could become a model for other countries battling tech-driven financial crime.

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