Nigeria, UK Sign Partnership to Detect, Disrupt Rising Fraud

The UK’s Minister for Fraud, Mr Lord Hanson; Nigeria’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mr Lateef Fagbemi (SAN); and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mr Nuhu Ribadu, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on a joint action plan, formalising a commitment to deeper collaboration.

According to a statement, the partnership will provide increased protection for victims by focusing on earlier detection of threats, faster law enforcement intervention, and the disruption of cross-border criminal networks before they can cause harm.

It will also support stronger systems to help prevent people from falling victim to fraud in the first place.

Areas of collaboration include intelligence sharing, trend analysis, and joint performance monitoring as part of a new, expanded UK Fraud Strategy due to be published later this year.

“The public will be better protected from fraud as law enforcement collaboration between the UK and Nigeria is stepped up under a new joint fraud action plan agreed between the two countries today,” the British High Commission said in a statement shared with Business Post.

The joint plan action navigates around five key elements: information sharing and operational coordination, including the potential for joint law enforcement operations involving the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) and Nigeria’s Office of the National Security Adviser; development and strengthening of National Fraud Strategies through the exchange of best practice, frameworks, and lessons learned, along with potential joint public awareness campaigns to deter fraudsters; and exploration of collaboration between financial, online, and telecoms regulators and industry bodies in both countries to help close loopholes exploited by criminals.

Others include sharing insights on the misuse of financial systems, with the potential for joint studies and research into emerging threats, as well as, identifying training needs and delivering capacity-building initiatives, starting with targeted training for Nigerian prosecutors by the UK’s Serious Fraud Office, with further programmes planned, subject to funding.

Speaking on this, Lord Hanson, said, “Fraud ruins lives. It strips people of their savings, their confidence, and their sense of security. The fact so many of these crimes now originate overseas makes our international partnerships more important than ever.

Our new agreement with Nigeria will help us better identify and stop fraud before it happens, crack down on criminals who exploit our systems, and ultimately protect the public from the devastating impact of fraud.”

Adding his input, NSA Ribadu said, “Building on the foundation of the past successes, we must confront crime with greater seriousness, deepen collaboration across all fronts; addressing enablers, supporting victims, and pursuing perpetrators, and sustain an unyielding commitment to protect our societies.”