U.S., Nigeria Strengthen Partnership Against Sextortion, Romance Scams, Cybercrime

ABUJA — The United States and Nigeria have agreed to deepen cooperation in combating financially motivated sextortion, romance scams and other forms of transnational cybercrime, as both countries intensify efforts to dismantle criminal networks exploiting digital platforms to defraud and victimise citizens.

The renewed commitment followed a visit to Abuja by Michael Gonzales, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, who held discussions with senior Nigerian government officials on strengthening joint security and law-enforcement initiatives.

The visit coincided with Nigeria’s Cybercrime Awareness Week and included engagements with officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

The discussions focused on expanding collaboration against cyber-enabled crimes, particularly financially motivated sextortion, romance scams and other criminal activities that increasingly operate across international borders.

Gonzales stressed that the speed at which cybercriminals operate across national boundaries must be matched by equally swift international cooperation among law-enforcement agencies.

He noted that criminals should not be allowed to exploit differences in national jurisdictions, investigative procedures or extradition processes to evade justice.

According to him, recent extraditions between Nigeria and the United States demonstrate the effectiveness of coordinated investigations, diplomatic engagement and law-enforcement cooperation in bringing alleged perpetrators before the courts.

The U.S. official emphasised that when both countries combine their investigative and institutional capabilities, international borders should no longer provide safe havens for individuals accused of targeting innocent citizens.

Extraditions Demonstrate Growing Cooperation

The growing partnership between Nigeria and the United States has produced significant results, particularly in the investigation and prosecution of cybercrime suspects.

In August, Nigeria extradited two alleged cybercriminals to the United States to face charges in separate financially motivated sextortion cases involving American minors who died by suicide.

The cases have drawn attention to the devastating consequences of online exploitation, particularly when children and vulnerable young people are targeted by criminals using threats, manipulation and psychological intimidation.

The U.S. authorities said the extraditions underscored the increasing effectiveness of bilateral law-enforcement cooperation.

Since 2022, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Legal Attaché Office at the U.S. Embassy in Abuja has worked with the EFCC on 41 extraditions, including five completed in 2026.

The figure represents a significant increase compared with the period between 2012 and 2021, when the two countries recorded only four arrests and five extraditions.

The growing number of extraditions reflects increased coordination between Nigerian and American authorities in tackling cybercrime and other financially motivated offences with international dimensions.

Gonzales acknowledged the contributions of the EFCC, the Federal Ministry of Justice and the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation to investigations and extradition proceedings involving U.S. criminal cases.

He emphasised that swift and visible enforcement action, including holding offenders accountable through the judicial process, could serve as a deterrent to others contemplating similar crimes.

The U.S. official also stressed the importance of ensuring that cybercriminals understand that their actions carry serious consequences, regardless of where they operate.

Sextortion: A Growing Threat To Children

One of the most pressing concerns discussed during the visit was financially motivated sextortion, a form of online exploitation in which criminals threaten to expose intimate images or information unless victims pay money or comply with their demands.

The crime has become a serious international concern because of its devastating psychological, emotional and financial consequences.

Children and teenagers are particularly vulnerable, with some victims experiencing severe distress, intimidation and suicidal thoughts following threats from online predators.

According to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, more than 50,000 reports of financially motivated sextortion were received in 2025, representing approximately 137 reports every day.

The scale of the reported cases underscores the urgency of strengthening international cooperation, public education and law-enforcement capacity to protect young people from online exploitation.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has identified Nigeria and other parts of West Africa, alongside Southeast Asia, as locations where some of the most prevalent sextortion networks have operated.

Through Operation Artemis and related initiatives, the FBI works with Nigerian authorities to identify, investigate and disrupt criminal networks targeting American victims.

The cooperation is aimed at identifying perpetrators, tracing their activities, gathering digital evidence and preventing further victimisation.

Both countries are also working to address romance scams, in which fraudsters exploit emotional relationships, trust and companionship to deceive victims into transferring money or revealing sensitive financial information.

Such scams can result in the loss of life savings, retirement funds and other assets, often leaving victims emotionally devastated and financially vulnerable.

Police Intensify Cyber Hygiene Campaign

Nigeria has also stepped up efforts to educate citizens about online threats and improve public awareness of cybercrime prevention.

In March, the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre launched a nationwide online-safety and cyber-hygiene campaign.

The campaign addresses a range of cyber threats, including romance scams, sextortion, phishing, identity theft and business email compromise.

The initiative is designed to equip Nigerians with practical knowledge to recognise suspicious online activities, protect personal information and avoid falling victim to digital fraud.

The renewed U.S.-Nigeria cooperation is expected to complement such domestic initiatives by strengthening investigative capabilities while promoting greater public awareness of cybercrime risks.

Officials believe that combining public education with effective law enforcement will be critical to reducing the incidence of online fraud and protecting vulnerable populations.

U.S. Commends EFCC’s Role

During his engagement with the EFCC, Gonzales commended the commission for its position as one of Africa’s most recognised economic crime enforcement agencies.

He acknowledged its record of high-profile prosecutions, asset recovery and public engagement in the fight against financial crimes.

The U.S. official described the EFCC’s partnership with the FBI as an example of effective international law-enforcement cooperation.

The collaboration involves intelligence and information sharing, suspect identification, arrests and the handling of complex extradition proceedings.

Some of the investigations, he noted, required years of coordinated effort, demonstrating the commitment of institutions in both countries to pursuing criminal cases across borders.

However, Gonzales stressed the need to make cooperation faster, more systematic and proactive.

Rather than concentrating exclusively on individual cases after crimes have occurred, he said both countries should increasingly focus on identifying and dismantling criminal networks, financial infrastructure and individuals who facilitate cybercrime.

Such an approach would enable investigators to disrupt criminal operations before additional victims are targeted.

The emphasis on networks and facilitators reflects the growing sophistication of cybercrime, where perpetrators may operate from different countries while using intermediaries, digital platforms and complex financial channels to conceal their activities.

Four Priorities For The Next Phase

The United States and Nigeria identified several areas in which bilateral cooperation could be strengthened.

These include improved information sharing between law-enforcement agencies, faster conversion of cyber and financial intelligence into actionable investigations, expanded public awareness campaigns against sextortion and romance scams, and continued investment in Nigeria’s investigative, prosecutorial and cybercrime-reporting capabilities.

The two countries are also expected to focus on building stronger institutional capacity to ensure that Nigerian agencies can independently sustain and expand successful cybercrime investigations.

Improved coordination among law-enforcement agencies, prosecutors and financial intelligence institutions would be critical to addressing the increasingly interconnected nature of cybercrime.

Officials also underscored the importance of ensuring that victims can report cybercrime incidents promptly and receive appropriate support.

Cooperation Measured By Results

Gonzales reiterated that the United States does not measure the success of its partnership with Nigeria simply by the number of programmes or initiatives it funds.

Rather, the focus is on tangible outcomes, including protecting victims, disrupting criminal networks, advancing investigations, securing successful convictions and strengthening Nigerian institutions.

He emphasised that the ultimate objective is to establish a sustainable law-enforcement partnership capable of protecting citizens of both countries from increasingly sophisticated criminal threats.

The renewed engagement comes amid growing concerns worldwide about the use of digital platforms for fraud, exploitation, identity theft and other forms of criminal activity.

For Nigeria, stronger cooperation with the United States offers an opportunity to improve cybercrime enforcement, enhance international credibility and demonstrate that the country remains committed to confronting criminal networks operating within or beyond its borders.

For the United States, the partnership provides a critical avenue for addressing cybercrime networks whose activities frequently extend beyond American jurisdiction.

As cybercriminals continue to exploit technology and international boundaries, both countries are increasingly recognising that effective enforcement requires sustained cooperation, intelligence sharing and coordinated action.

The message from the Abuja discussions was clear: cybercrime may operate across borders in seconds, but international law-enforcement cooperation must be capable of moving just as swiftly to protect victims and bring perpetrators to justice.