The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has urged Nigerian students and youths to take responsibility for building their future by embracing integrity, hard work and accountable conduct.
Olukoyede gave the charge on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, when students of Wisdom Academy visited the EFCC headquarters in Abuja as part of a study tour.
The EFCC Chairman, who spoke through the Commission’s Head of Media and Publicity and Spokesperson, DCE Dele Oyewale, warned youths against criminality, internet fraud and other shortcuts to wealth.
He said young Nigerians must understand that their future is not a ready-made structure but something they must deliberately build through industry, resourcefulness, vision and commitment to sustainable values.
Olukoyede said, “Many young people today are taking shortcuts, the shortcuts 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 shortcuts, you are likely to be cut short.”
He urged the students to embrace integrity and uprightness, stressing that young people have a choice between contributing to Nigeria’s corruption problems and becoming part of the solution.
According to him, the country’s future depends significantly on the values and decisions of its younger generation.
“Your future is not a ready-made structure. Your future is a building that must be built,” he said.
The EFCC Chairman explained that the Commission investigates and fights various forms of economic and financial crimes, including contract and procurement fraud, money laundering, illicit financial flows and banking fraud.
He, however, noted that the EFCC cannot effectively combat corruption without the cooperation and commitment of citizens, particularly young Nigerians.
Olukoyede further urged the students to distinguish themselves by refusing to follow negative societal trends and instead commit themselves to values capable of advancing their generation.
Speaking on the importance of mentorship and positive role models, the Head of Enlightenment and Reorientation of the EFCC, ACE II Aisha Muhammed, said the Commission considers young Nigerians critical stakeholders in its efforts to build a better society.
She said the EFCC engages young people through sensitisation programmes, Integrity Clubs in primary and secondary schools, Zero Tolerance Clubs in tertiary institutions and the EFCC-NYSC Community Development Service group.
Muhammed also urged the students to resist peer pressure and the get-rich-quick mentality.
She advised them to recognise their individual uniqueness and avoid comparing their progress with that of others.
Meanwhile, a representative of Wisdom Academy, Dr. Wycleff Dah, appreciated the EFCC for receiving the students, saying the academy’s primary objective is to develop patriotic, civil, bold, wise and responsible young Nigerians.
She said the EFCC’s engagement had contributed significantly to advancing the academy’s objective of developing responsible citizens who can contribute positively to Nigeria’s future.
