By Francis Ajuonuma
Nigeria and the United States have intensified their joint fight against transnational cybercrime, with 41 extraditions facilitated through cooperation between the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) since 2022.
The development underscores a deepening security partnership between both countries as authorities step up efforts to dismantle financially motivated sextortion rings, romance scams and other cybercrime networks operating across borders.
The United States disclosed the figures on Monday after Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, Michael Gonzales, held high-level security discussions with Nigerian officials in Abuja.
The engagements coincided with Nigeria’s Cybercrime Awareness Week and involved officials from the EFCC, Office of the National Security Adviser, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and Nigeria Police Force.
According to the US Diplomatic Mission in Nigeria, five of the 41 extraditions facilitated through the FBI Legal Attaché Office at the US Embassy in Abuja and the EFCC were completed in 2026.
The figure represents a significant rise from the previous decade, when Nigeria and the United States recorded only four arrests and five extraditions between 2012 and 2021.
Nigeria also extradited two alleged cybercriminals to the United States in August to face separate charges involving financially motivated sextortion of American minors who later died by suicide.
Gonzales acknowledged the roles played by the EFCC, Federal Ministry of Justice and Office of the Attorney General of the Federation in investigations and extradition proceedings.
He, however, stressed the need for cooperation to extend beyond individual cases to the disruption of criminal networks, financial infrastructure and the facilitators behind cybercrime operations.
The US Government identified financially motivated sextortion as an escalating threat to young people, saying more than 50,000 reports were received by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children in 2025.
The figure amounted to an average of about 137 reports daily, highlighting the scale of online exploitation confronting young people.
“The FBI identifies Nigeria and other parts of West Africa, as well as Southeast Asia, among the locations where the most prevalent sextortion networks have operated,” the statement said.
It added that through Operation Artemis and related initiatives, the FBI was working with Nigerian authorities to identify and disrupt networks targeting American victims.
The two countries are also intensifying efforts against romance scams, which exploit personal relationships and trust, often leaving victims with substantial financial losses.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre launched a nationwide online-safety and cyber-hygiene campaign in March.
The campaign focuses on educating Nigerians about romance scams, sextortion, phishing, identity theft and business email compromise.
At his meeting with the EFCC, Gonzales commended the commission for its record in economic crime investigations, high-profile prosecutions, asset recovery and public engagement.
“The EFCC’s partnership with the FBI shows what effective international law enforcement cooperation looks like: sharing information, identifying suspects, making arrests, and working through complex extradition proceedings,” the US statement said.
In November 2025, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu led a high-level Nigerian delegation to Washington, where it met officials from the US Congress, White House Faith Office, State Department, National Security Council and Department of War.
The delegation included the Attorney General of the Federation, Chief of Defence Staff and Inspector-General of Police.
Further engagements included Ribadu’s meeting with US Vice President JD Vance in May 2026 and a July visit to Abuja by US Assistant Secretary of State Frank Garcia.
The discussions covered counterterrorism, intelligence sharing, defence cooperation and broader regional security concerns.
The United States said the next phase of the partnership would focus on stronger information sharing, faster cyber and financial intelligence investigations, increased public awareness and improved investigative and prosecutorial capacity.
