The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has urged Nigerian youths to embrace integrity, hard work and accountability, warning that resorting to criminality and get-rich-quick schemes could destroy their future.
Key Highlights
- Olukoyede spoke on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, when students of Wisdom Academy visited the EFCC headquarters in Abuja on a study tour.
- He warned that youths chasing internet fraud, financial crimes and other shortcuts risk being “cut short.”
- He urged the students to build their futures through integrity, discipline and hard work rather than relying on shortcuts.
- Head of Enlightenment and Reorientation, Aisha Muhammed, blamed the lack of positive role models for pushing many youths astray.
- The EFCC listed prevention initiatives including Integrity Clubs, Zero Tolerance Clubs and its NYSC Community Development Service group.
- Olukoyede said the commission cannot fight corruption alone and needs the cooperation of Nigerians.
Olukoyede gave the warning on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, when students of Wisdom Academy visited the EFCC headquarters in Abuja on a study tour.
The EFCC chairman, who spoke through the commission’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, said young Nigerians must take responsibility for building their future rather than relying on shortcuts.
According to him, many youths are increasingly turning to internet fraud, financial crimes and other forms of criminality because they believe such practices offer a faster route to success.
“As a Commission, we are telling you that there is a future ahead but that future is to be built by you; you have to make a choice on the future that you want to build for yourself.
“Many young people today are taking short cuts, the short cuts of criminality, internet fraud, all manner of compromises, financial infraction and thinking that is the way to go. That is not the way to go.
“If you take short cuts, you are likely to be cut short,” Olukoyede said.
He urged the students to develop sustainable values that would enable them to build successful lives and contribute positively to Nigeria’s development.
Olukoyede also linked the name of the school, Wisdom Academy, to the need for young Nigerians to identify and tackle societal problems before they become emergencies.
“The name of your Academy, Wisdom Academy, is very instructive. Wisdom is the ability to see a problem before it becomes an emergency.
“And when you look at Nigeria today, for our youths and for those that are a bit advanced in age, you will see that corruption is a problem and it takes wisdom for us to be able to navigate, pattern our lives over and overcome this challenge,” he said.
‘Your Future Is Not A Ready-Made Structure’
The EFCC chairman said Nigerians were faced with a choice between contributing to the corruption problem or becoming part of efforts to address it.
“We have found ourselves at a juncture in our country to either decide to be part of the problem or be the solution.
“As young people, your future is not a ready-made structure. Your future is a building that must be built. Your future is not a tower that is waiting for you to just go into, it is a super structure that you need to build yourself,” he added.
He warned the students against compromising values and ethics capable of helping them achieve their goals.
“Nigeria is not going to build your future for you. The EFCC is not going to build your future for you. You are going to build your future by yourself, by your industry, resourcefulness, vision and commitment to profitable values,” Olukoyede said.
He further urged the youths to distinguish themselves through integrity, personal discipline and commitment to positive values.
“The only firm place that you can stand to make you rule the world is the firm place of integrity, uprightness and personal commitment to say that I am not going to be part of the crowd, I am going to separate myself to be able to move my generation forward,” he said.
Olukoyede said the EFCC was investigating and prosecuting various forms of economic and financial crimes, including contract and procurement fraud, money laundering, illicit financial flows and banking fraud.
He, however, stressed that the commission could not effectively combat corruption without the cooperation of Nigerians.
“At the EFCC, we are doing a lot of work, we fight all manner of economic and financial crimes… But we cannot fight these alone if you and I do not resolve to be part of the solution rather than part of the problem,” he said.
Read also:
- Olukoyede Lists Achievements, Says EFCC Recovered N1.233tn, Secured Over 10,000 Convictions In 3 Years
- EFCC Chair Olukoyede Urges NYSC Members To Lead Fight Against Corruption
Lack of Role Models a Concern, Says EFCC
Also speaking, the Head of Enlightenment and Reorientation of the EFCC, Aisha Muhammed, said the commission was concerned about the absence of positive role models and mentors for many young Nigerians.
She urged the students to identify responsible role models capable of positively influencing their choices and aspirations.
“It is very important and it is something we try to talk to the younger ones because if there is anything we realized that is affecting the young generation is lack of role models, they don’t have mentors,” Muhammed said.
She said the EFCC regarded young Nigerians as key stakeholders in its anti-corruption campaign and was working to engage them from an early age.
Muhammed explained that the EFCC’s mandate went beyond arresting and prosecuting suspects, noting that the commission also focuses on prevention, investigation and public enlightenment.
She listed initiatives including Integrity Clubs in primary and secondary schools, Zero Tolerance Clubs in tertiary institutions, the EFCC-NYSC Community Development Service group, as well as radio and television sensitisation programmes.
Muhammed also cautioned the students against peer pressure and the get-rich-quick mentality, urging them to recognise their individual worth and avoid comparing themselves with others.
“Say no to peer pressure, don’t allow anybody to pressure you, you are unique, beautiful and you are the most important person even if you are sitting with a billionaire,” she said.
A representative of Wisdom Academy, Dr. Wycleff Dah, commended the EFCC for receiving the students and supporting the school’s efforts to promote responsible citizenship.
Dah said the academy’s primary objective was to develop youths who are patriotic, civil, bold, wise and responsible in their education, careers, finances and relationships.
She added that the EFCC’s engagement had contributed significantly to advancing the school’s objective of raising responsible future leaders.
