Google, TikTok and LinkedIn have taken down more than 28 million fraudulent accounts linked to Nigeria in a year, marking one of the largest coordinated crackdowns on online impersonation and digital crime reported on the continent.
Key Highlights:
- Google deactivated 9.6 million accounts
- LinkedIn removed nearly 16 million accounts used for impersonation and social engineering
- TikTok carried out high-volume suspensions tied to harmful activity
- More than 58.9 million harmful posts linked to Nigeria were taken down
- At least 420,000 posts were restored after review
The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency, Kashifu Abdullahi, disclosed the figures in Abuja during a symposium on digital innovations in crisis communication. He warned that the scale of the findings shows how social media is being used as a tool for manipulation, fraud and organised digital abuse in Nigeria’s fast-expanding online space.
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According to him, LinkedIn’s numbers were especially troubling, given its reputation as a professional platform. He noted that many removed accounts were created for impersonation, corporate scams and social engineering aimed at extracting sensitive information from organisations and individuals.
Beyond account removals, major platforms also took down close to 59 million pieces of harmful content linked to Nigerian actors. These ranged from extremist propaganda to coordinated disinformation and online fraud schemes. About 420,000 posts were reinstated after review.
Abdullahi said the crackdown reflects closer collaboration between global tech companies and Nigerian regulators, driven by the need to curb disinformation, online scams and crisis-related misinformation. He cautioned, however, that content removal must not be misused by governments to silence critics or suppress public debate.
Representing the Minister of Information and National Orientation, the Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria, Jibrin Ndace, stressed that emerging technologies must strengthen crisis communication and not inflame national tensions. He noted that public perception during emergencies is now shaped in minutes by digital narratives.
The Chairman of the Centre for Crisis Communication, Maj Gen Chris Olukolade (retd.), described credible information as a national security asset. He warned that modern crises unfold at a pace set by social media, and institutions must respond with verified information to prevent confusion and panic.
The revelations come amid rising worries over Nigeria’s growing cybercrime networks, increased impersonation scams targeting professionals and the use of social media for political propaganda, coordinated deception and online fraud.
