The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, says adopting Artificial Intelligence (AI) is essential to strengthening transparency, accountability and governance in Nigerian universities.
He spoke at the 8th Biennial Conference of the Committee of Pro-Chancellors of State-Owned Universities in Nigeria (COPSUN) on Tuesday in Kano.
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The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the conference is themed: “Unlocking the Potential of Artificial Intelligence: University Governance, Internationalisation and Rankings.”
Mr Olukoyede described the academic community as a bastion of intellectual engagement and a critical driver of national development, stressing that no nation could achieve sustainable growth without a strong university system.
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The EFCC boss noted that AI had become inevitable in modern governance, particularly in managing the multi-billion Naira budgets, tuition revenues and research funds handled by universities.
According to him, persistent cases of financial mismanagement, including contract inflation, ghost workers and diversion of funds, highlighting the urgent need for technological solutions.
“The EFCC has investigated cases involving inflated contracts, ghost workers and diverted student fees in tertiary institutions across the country,” he said.
Mr Olukoyede said most university financial systems remained largely manual, making them vulnerable to fraud, poor payroll management and weak internal controls.
He explained that deploying AI would enhance fraud detection through real-time monitoring of transactions, automate audit processes and improve payroll integrity by identifying irregularities such as ghost workers.
The EFCC boss added that AI could also strengthen procurement processes by flagging overpricing and ensuring compliance with existing laws, and promote academic integrity through plagiarism detection and real-time governance monitoring.
Mr Olukoyede cited a case where investigations uncovered a university paying salaries far above its actual staff strength due to systemic fraud, noting that such practices could be curtailed with AI tools.
He further illustrated AI’s impact with a major EFCC operation in December 2024, where 729 suspects were arrested in a single raid linked to a transnational cybercrime syndicate.
The chairman said the operation led to the recovery of over 500 laptops, 650 registered SIM cards, mobile phones, vehicles and digital assets valued at $122,000, adding that AI tools enabled investigators to analyse links and conclude investigations within one month.
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He emphasised that effective deployment of AI would reduce reliance on manual processes, improve efficiency, enable early fraud detection and enhance data-driven decision-making in universities.
Mr Olukoyede also called for compliance with relevant laws, including the National Data Protection Act and procurement regulations, in deploying AI systems.
The EFCC boss urged university governing councils to establish AI and digital governance committees, develop digital integrity strategies and invest in broadband and cybersecurity infrastructure.
He further pledged the commission’s readiness to partner with universities in training, intelligence sharing and fraud risk assessment.
Mr Olukoyede warned that while AI offers significant benefits, over-reliance on technology without ethical considerations could undermine professional judgment and expose institutions to cyber risks.
He reaffirmed the EFCC’s commitment to supporting reforms that would promote transparency and accountability in Nigeria’s university system. (NAN)
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