Cybercrime and fraud have emerged as the most prevalent economic offences in Nigeria, with 4,238 recorded cases, according to data from the Corruption Cases Database compiled by Statisense (@StatiSense). The list, published on June 21, 2026, reveals that fraud-related offences—including Cybercrime/Fraud, Fraud, Scam, Employment Scam, Impersonation, and Forgery—constitute the overwhelming majority of the top ten crimes.
Top 10 Offences in Nigeria
The data ranks offences by the number of cases recorded: 1. Cybercrime/Fraud — 4,238; 2. Fraud — 1,313; 3. Money Laundering — 264; 4. Illegal Dealing in Oil Products — 263; 5. Stealing — 208; 6. Impersonation — 150; 7. Forgery — 129; 8. Misappropriation — 129; 9. Scam — 88; 10. Employment Scam — 76.
Public Reactions to the List
The release of the top ten offences has sparked widespread reactions on social media. User @Princew1ll commented, “Kidnapping and misappropriation should be on the #1 spot at this time. I guess not because both are the least reported and sanctioned.” Another user, @ORupeth, disputed the figures, stating, “False. The yahoo boys in Lagos alone is more than 10,000.” @odewale49 argued, “Jihadism Banditry should be number 1.” Meanwhile, @Anthonyrailz asked, “Which of These Offenses Is The APC Government Not Into?”
Related Cases: EFCC Investigations
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been active in pursuing fraud cases. Notably, Nigerian-American Adegoke Oluwatobi Adams was arrested over a $320,000 vehicle import fraud. The EFCC investigated Adams for allegedly running a fraud syndicate targeting Nigerians. Two victims paid significant sums for a luxury vehicle that was never delivered.
In another case, the EFCC is investigating Prophet Sunday Koboko over alleged N70.3 million fraud involving church members. Victims claimed that payments for spiritual interventions yielded no results despite promises from the prophet. The prophet's alleged tactics included selling miracle products and promising false lottery winnings to exploit congregants financially.
Context and Implications
The dominance of cybercrime and fraud in Nigeria's crime statistics highlights the growing challenge of digital and financial crimes. While the data from Statisense provides a snapshot of reported cases, public reactions suggest that other serious offences like kidnapping and banditry may be underreported. The EFCC continues to crack down on fraud syndicates, but the scale of the problem remains a concern for law enforcement and policymakers.
