The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has urged Nigerian youths to embrace integrity, ethical behaviour, and purposeful innovation as the foundation for national development and a sustainable future. Speaking through his representative, Deputy Commissioner of the EFCC, DCE Nwanyinma Okeanu, Executive Chairman Ola Olukoyede charged young people at the Dreamrise Festival 2026 in Abuja to see integrity as non‑negotiable, even as they pursue success.
The festival, themed “The Future We Are Building,” brought together youths from across the country for a National Young People Celebration aimed at mentoring, motivation, and leadership development. Olukoyede stressed that the future of Nigeria depends largely on the values young people uphold and the choices they make. While the EFCC’s mandate is to fight economic and financial crimes, he said the Commission sees youth reorientation as the most effective long‑term anti‑corruption strategy. The EFCC has therefore continued to establish Integrity Clubs in primary and secondary schools, and Zero Tolerance Clubs in tertiary institutions to inculcate ethical behaviour from an early age.
“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. The EFCC boss warned that technological innovation without ethics can easily slide into criminality, especially with rising youth involvement in internet fraud and related offences. He described cybercrime as self‑sabotage that wastes talent which could be deployed in agriculture, health, education, and finance to create jobs and value rather than victims.
Head of the EFCC’s Enlightenment and Reorientation Unit, ACE11 Aisha Mohammed, reiterated that the Commission remains committed to guiding youths toward integrity and responsible lifestyles. Speaking at a panel discussion during the event, she urged young people to eschew all forms of economic and financial crime, noting that they are the country’s future. “Whatever you want to become, fashion designer, entrepreneur, musician, or broadcaster, do it right and be good at it,” she said, stressing excellence within an ethical framework.
The convener and Executive Director of the Lola Cater Foundation, Ololade Ogunnubi, emphasised that the Dreamrise Festival is designed to nurture young Nigerians into solution‑oriented leaders and innovators rather than passive spectators. She argued that early empowerment in ethical thinking and responsible conduct would produce leaders capable of tackling societal challenges and making meaningful impact, even while still young.