The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has urged Nigerian youths to embrace ethical values and innovation as critical tools for national development and a sustainable future.
Olukoyede gave the charge on Wednesday during the Dreamrise Festival 2026, a national youth celebration held in Abuja with the theme, “The Future We are Building.”
Represented at the event by the Head of EFCC Radio Station, Deputy Commander of the EFCC, DCE Nwanyinma Okeanu, the EFCC chairman stressed that integrity remains the foundation of genuine leadership and nation-building.
Addressing participants drawn from different parts of the country, Olukoyede said the future of Nigeria largely depends on the values embraced by young people and the decisions they make.
He explained that although the EFCC’s statutory responsibility is to combat economic and financial crimes, the Commission believes that the most effective anti-corruption strategy is to reorient young people toward integrity and ethical living.
According to him, the EFCC has continued to establish Integrity Clubs in primary and secondary schools, as well as Zero Tolerance Clubs in tertiary institutions across the country, to instill ethical values in students.
“Leadership starts with character, not title. Real leadership begins when a young person refuses to cheat in an examination, rejects cybercrime and chooses honesty over shortcuts,” he said.
Olukoyede also warned youths against the misuse of technology and innovation, noting that creativity without ethics could easily become a tool for criminality.
“Nigeria has some of the brightest young minds in the world. Your ideas and skills can solve problems in agriculture, health, education and finance. But innovation without integrity is dangerous. Technology without ethics becomes a tool for exploitation,” he said.
The EFCC chairman expressed concern over the increasing involvement of young Nigerians in cybercrime, describing it as self-destructive and a waste of talent that could otherwise contribute positively to society.
“True innovators create value, not victims. I urge you to channel your creativity into enterprises and ideas that solve real problems and create jobs for others,” he added.
Also speaking during a panel discussion at the event, the Head of Enlightenment and Reorientation Unit of the EFCC, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE II Aisha Mohammed, reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to guiding young people toward integrity and responsible living.
According to her, the EFCC remains focused on helping youths excel in their careers while upholding ethical standards.
“Whatever you want to become, fashion designer, entrepreneur, musician or broadcaster, do it right and be good at it,” she said.
She further urged young Nigerians to avoid all forms of economic and financial crimes, stressing that they represent the future of the country.
In her welcome address, the convener and Executive Director of the Lola Cater Foundation, Ololade Ogunnubi, said the initiative was designed to nurture young Nigerians into future leaders and innovators capable of proffering solutions to societal challenges.
She noted that empowering young people early would help shape them into ethical thinkers and responsible leaders committed to national development, while encouraging participants not to see themselves as too young to make meaningful impact in society.
