EFCC’s Boss Tasks Youths on Positive Use of Technological Skills

Alex Enumah in Abuja

Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ola Olukoyede, yesterday, charged youths in the country to deploy their technological skills for the benefit of the country and for their individual development, rather than negative and fraudulent purposes.

Olukoyede spoke at a Nigerian Youth Stakeholders’ Conversation in Abuja, with the theme, “Digital Economy Transition: Pathway to Global Competitiveness.”

A statement from the commission said Olukoyede, who was represented by Director, Public Affairs Department, EFCC, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, said there was so much opportunity for youths in the digital space to demonstrate their technological skills, instead of using such skills for fraudulent activities.

He said the commission identified with the objectives of the programme aimed at harnessing the tech-skills of young Nigerians for the country’s economic development and personal growth of the citizenry.

Olukoyede was quoted as saying, in the statement, “All of us are aware of the tremendous skills that our young citizens possess, especially in technology. We are all aware of the marvellous things Nigerians are doing, especially in the fintech ecosystem.

“I doubt there is any other country in Africa that has the type of resources that this nation has in terms of the deployment of technology by young persons in all areas of development.

“Technology is something you cannot run away from, it is the future of the whole world, and we must ensure that youths, who are having these skills, deploy them for the benefit of our nation.”

While pointing out that the reputation of Nigeria was at stake, owing to the negative use of technology, Olukoyede stressed that as long as young Nigerians continued to defraud citizens of other countries of their hard-earned money, Nigeria’s reputation would continue to suffer.