The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) wants Nigerian universities to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) into their governance systems to tackle corruption and strengthen accountability across the tertiary education sector.
Ola Olukoyede, Executive Chairman of the EFCC, made the call on Tuesday in Kano while delivering a keynote address at the opening ceremony of the 8th Biennial Conference of the Committee of Pro-Chancellors of State Universities in Nigeria (COPSUN).
He described AI as a critical institutional safeguard and warned that universities must keep pace with the global shift towards technology-driven governance. The scale of financial resources managed by tertiary institutions requires stronger oversight mechanisms, he said.
“The EFCC has investigated cases involving inflated contracts, ghost workers, and diverted students’ fees in tertiary institutions across the federation. 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,” Olukoyede said.
AI, a critical institutional safeguard, EFCC chairman says
According to him, universities oversee multi-billion naira budgets, including tuition fees, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) allocations, and research grants, yet continue to face accountability challenges.
“The EFCC has investigated cases involving inflated contracts, ghost workers, and diverted students’ fees in tertiary institutions across the federation. 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,” Olukoyede said.
He warned that weak financial governance undermines the credibility of universities as centres for training future professionals.
“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.
Olukoyede said institutions can deploy AI across key operational areas, including fraud detection, automated auditing, payroll verification, procurement monitoring, and academic integrity systems, to strengthen institutional controls.
He urged governing councils to take deliberate steps to embed AI in their administrative structures and recommended the establishment of AI and Digital Governance Committees within each governing council to oversee responsible adoption.
“I will recommend that you establish an AI and Digital Governance Committee within each Governing Council to drive responsible AI adoption. Create a Digital Integrity Strategy for finance, academic, and data protection within your institutions. Invest in digital infrastructure, broadband, cybersecurity, and cloud systems,” he said.
He also called for closer collaboration between universities and anti-corruption agencies, particularly in training and intelligence sharing, to strengthen institutional resilience.
While highlighting the potential of AI, Olukoyede cautioned that technology alone cannot resolve systemic integrity challenges.
“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 warned of risks linked to AI adoption, including over-reliance on automated systems, erosion of professional judgement, and cybersecurity vulnerabilities arising from weak data management practices.
“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,” he said.
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