The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has urged the commission’s public affairs officers to harness artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies to improve communication and strengthen public trust in its anti-corruption activities.
Olukoyede gave the charge on Friday, August 28, 2026, at the conclusion of a two-day Executive Master Class on Artificial Intelligence, digital media, fact-checking and strategic corporate communication for public institutions.
The programme, held at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja, was organised for heads of public affairs departments across the commission.
Represented by the Secretary to the Commission, Muhammad Hassan Hammajoda, Olukoyede said the rapidly evolving media environment required communication professionals to continuously adapt to new technologies, platforms and public narratives.
He said the training was particularly relevant as the EFCC continued to engage Nigerians and communicate its activities in the fight against economic and financial crimes.
The EFCC chairman urged participants to apply the knowledge gained from the programme to their daily responsibilities, noting that effective communication was essential to public understanding, institutional credibility and sustained support for the anti-corruption campaign.
He tasked the officers with producing stronger narratives, responding effectively to emerging issues and ensuring that information about the commission’s activities was communicated accurately, promptly and credibly.
Also speaking at the event, the Chief of Staff to the Executive Chairman, Commander of the EFCC, CE Michael Nzekwe, commended the Public Affairs Department for its contribution to the commission’s public image and anti-corruption mandate.
Nzekwe said the department played a strategic role in helping Nigerians understand the commission’s operations and maintaining its relevance in the national conversation on corruption.
He encouraged the communication officers to maintain high professional standards while adopting innovative and creative approaches capable of connecting with a wider Nigerian audience.
The Director of Public Affairs, Commander of the EFCC, CE Wilson Uwujaren, thanked the commission’s management for supporting the training, describing investment in the professional development of communication personnel as necessary in the current media environment.
Uwujaren challenged the participants to ensure that the training translated into measurable improvements in their work.
He urged heads of public affairs in the commission’s various zones to deploy emerging technologies, strengthen fact-checking practices, produce engaging digital content and adopt more strategic approaches to communicating EFCC activities.
Speaking on behalf of the facilitators, the Executive Director of the West Africa Broadcast Media Academy (WABMA), Mike Yawe, described the programme as an intensive and productive learning experience.
Yawe said the training went beyond conventional classroom instruction by encouraging participants to reassess existing communication practices and explore new approaches.
He said the changing nature of communication meant professionals could no longer afford to remain distant from developments in artificial intelligence.
According to him, AI could help communicators conduct research more efficiently, generate ideas, analyse information and improve content production.
He, however, cautioned that technology should remain a tool rather than a substitute for professional judgment, ethical standards and human responsibility.
Yawe also praised the participants for their contributions during interactive sessions and urged them to apply the lessons from the programme in their respective offices.
“Use the AI tools responsibly. Verify before you amplify. Think strategically before you communicate. And never compromise the credibility of the institution you represent,” he said.
The master class exposed EFCC public affairs officers to developments in artificial intelligence, digital storytelling, fact-checking, misinformation management, strategic corporate communication and contemporary media engagement.
The organisers said emphasis was placed on the practical application of the emerging tools and techniques to communication within public institutions.
