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THE GRIND
NG

Nigeria

Nigeria has a large and fast-growing digital payments market. Common fraud patterns include fake investment and loan offers, impersonation of banks and officials, and job or task scams. Reporting is handled by several agencies depending on the type of fraud.

Scams are not unique to any country. Fraudsters adapt the same playbooks to local languages, banks and payment systems. This guide is educational and not legal advice.

Common scams

What to watch for locally

  • Fake investment and high-yield schemes
  • Impersonation of bank or government officials
  • Fake loan and advance-fee offers
  • Job and task-based scams
  • Romance and relationship fraud
  • Fake online sellers

Authorities

Who to contact

  • Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)

    Investigates and prosecutes economic and financial crimes

    Visit

  • Nigeria Police Force (NPF)

    National police service for reporting crimes, including fraud

    Visit

  • Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC)

    Telecoms regulator; handles complaints about calls and messaging

    Visit

  • Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)

    Regulates banking and payments; consumer protection

    Visit

  • Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC)

    Consumer protection and competition regulator

    Visit

  • National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA)

    IT development and cybersecurity guidance

    Visit

Reporting

How to report a scam

  • Your bank's fraud line

    Call the number on your card immediately if money has moved.

    Visit

  • EFCC reporting

    Report economic and financial crimes to the EFCC.

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  • Nigeria Police Force

    Report crimes, including fraud, to the police.

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  • NCC consumer complaints

    Complain about nuisance calls or messaging misuse.

    Visit

Consumer resources

Where to get help

  • CBN consumer protection

    Guidance on banking and payment safety.

    Visit

  • FCCPC

    Consumer rights and complaint handling.

    Visit

  • NITDA

    Digital safety and IT guidance.

    Visit

Banking safety

Protecting your money

Use only your bank's official app or website. Never share one-time codes, and treat any request to move money to a safe account as fraud. Confirm unusual requests by calling your bank on the number on your card.

Telecom guidance

Protecting your number

Register your SIM with accurate details and keep your line active. Be cautious of calls and messages that impersonate your network provider. Report persistent nuisance calls and suspected number misuse to the NCC.

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