International Cybercriminals Choose Nigeria As A Base Of Operations

Nigeria and several other African countries have arrested and deported hundreds of Chinese nationals accused of operating large, corporate-style cybercrime syndicates across the continent.

Since the beginning of 2025, Nigerian authorities have arrested hundreds of Chinese nationals linked to cybercrime networks operating within the country, according to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). In August, 60 Chinese nationals were among more than 100 people deported after being convicted of cyberterrorism and internet fraud. The EFCC said many of those convicted were involved in online romance scams designed to lure victims into investing in fake cryptocurrency schemes.
“The fight against cybercrime is being pursued with renewed intensity, and we are working with global partners to ensure these networks are dismantled,” the EFCC said following additional arrests in February. The agency has argued in court that cybercrime poses a serious threat to Nigeria’s economic stability and social structure.
Nigeria’s crackdown is part of a broader continental effort. In recent years, dozens of Chinese nationals have been deported or imprisoned across Africa for cyber-related offenses. In 2024, Angolan authorities arrested 46 Chinese nationals operating an illegal online casino from a hotel in Luanda, targeting gamblers in Nigeria and Brazil. In Namibia, nine Chinese nationals were among 14 suspects arrested in 2023 for running a “pig butchering” scam that used fake identities to defraud victims into buying counterfeit cryptocurrency. The suspects were also charged with money laundering and human trafficking.
Zambian authorities dismantled what they described as a “sophisticated internet fraud syndicate” involving 22 Chinese nationals who targeted victims in Peru, Singapore, several African countries and the United Arab Emirates.
Despite these regional efforts, Nigeria remains the epicenter of Chinese-led cybercrime operations in Africa. In late 2024 and early 2025, Nigerian security agencies arrested nearly 1,000 suspects, including at least 177 Chinese nationals, during coordinated raids in Abuja and Lagos.
Nigeria’s ability to confront cybercrime is being strained by broader economic pressures. Inflation has exceeded 30%, unemployment remains high and public debt has continued to grow, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers’ 2025 Nigeria Budget and Economic Outlook. These challenges have complicated efforts to strengthen public confidence in law enforcement and cybersecurity institutions.
Authorities say many of the dismantled cybercrime operations were organized like legitimate corporations, complete with office spaces, rows of computers, thousands of SIM cards and structured training programs for Nigerians recruited to carry out scams.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has reported that Africa has increasingly become a refuge for Chinese and other cybercriminals displaced from Southeast Asia following government crackdowns in that region. Interpol’s Africa Cyberthreat Assessment Report 2025 found that two-thirds of African member states reported cybercrime accounting for a medium to high share of overall crime. In West and East Africa, cyber offenses represented about 30% of all reported crimes.
Interpol also warned that widespread smartphone use, limited cybersecurity investment and gaps in digital literacy have increased vulnerability across the continent, particularly as mobile banking expands. Investigators noted that scammers frequently rely on social engineering tactics to hijack accounts and solicit emergency funds from unsuspecting victims.
Following raids in late 2024 that led to the arrest of 148 Chinese nationals among nearly 800 suspects, EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede said the operations demonstrated Nigeria’s determination to confront cybercrime.
“Foreigners are taking advantage of our nation’s unfortunate reputation as a haven of frauds to establish a foothold here to disguise their atrocious criminal enterprises,” Olukoyede said.