KANO — The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr Ola Olukoyede, has urged Nigerian universities to adopt Artificial Intelligence as a core tool for financial management and ethical governance, warning that institutions risk falling behind global standards if they delay.
Speaking on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, in Kano, Olukoyede delivered the keynote address at the 8th Biennial Conference of the Committee of Pro-Chancellors of State Universities in Nigeria, COPSUN.
He described AI as a necessary defence against corruption in higher education.
Olukoyede noted that Nigerian universities oversee multi-billion-naira budgets from tuition, TETFund interventions, and research grants, yet accountability gaps remain.
He said the EFCC has investigated cases of inflated contracts, ghost workers, and diverted student fees across tertiary institutions.
“Each case represented not only a loss of public funds but also a betrayal of the trust that Nigerian parents, students, and taxpayers have placed in the university system.
“A university that lacks financial accountability cannot credibly train future accountants and auditors, and one that tolerates fraud cannot produce the ethical professionals our economy needs.
“The university’s integrity is thus a matter of national security, and AI offers transformative tools to defend it,” he said.
The EFCC Chairman outlined five areas where AI can improve governance in universities namely: Fraud detection and real-time transaction monitoring, automated auditing to flag anomalies in spending, payroll integrity to eliminate ghost workers, procurement oversight to prevent inflated contracts, and academic integrity to curb plagiarism and exam malpractice.
He cited Operation Eagle Flush in December 2024 as proof of AI’s impact, adding that the EFCC operation led to the arrest of 792 suspects, including 193 foreign nationals, in a seven-storey building in Victoria Island, Lagos.
“The syndicate ran cryptocurrency investment fraud and romance scams targeting victims in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Europe,” he stated.
Olukoyede called on university governing councils to take immediate action to establish an AI and Digital Governance Committee in each Governing Council to drive responsible AI adoption, create a Digital Integrity Strategy covering finance, academics, and data protection, invest in digital infrastructure, including broadband, cybersecurity, and cloud systems, partner with EFCC and other agencies for joint training and intelligence exchange, and adopt an AI Code of Ethics to safeguard privacy, prevent bias, and protect academic freedom.
While championing AI adoption, Olukoyede cautioned that technology alone cannot solve corruption.
“No matter how sophisticated the technology might be, its effectiveness ultimately depends on the integrity of the human beings who will utilise the tools.
“AI will therefore not work magic for the ivory towers if the integrity deficit that is palpable among the workforce is not addressed,” he said.
He also flagged risks including over-reliance on AI eroding professional judgment, loss of institutional autonomy, and cybersecurity threats from poor data stewardship.
“The fight against corruption is a national project that depends on the integrity of every institution, especially our universities.
“The EFCC is ready to collaborate with you in training and intelligence sharing in the unwavering belief that integrity will lead Nigeria to greatness and transparency. This is possible. It is achievable,” Olukoyede concluded.
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