The public will be better protected from fraud as law enforcement collaboration between the UK and Nigeria is stepped up under a new joint fraud action plan agreed between the two countries on Thursday.
The partnership will provide increased protection for victims by focusing on earlier detection of threats, faster law enforcement intervention, and disrupting cross-border criminal networks before they can cause harm, according to a statement by the UK government.
It will also support stronger systems to help prevent people from falling victim to fraud in the first place.
Key elements of the joint action plan include information sharing and operational coordination, including the potential for joint law enforcement operations involving the UK’s National Crime Agency and Nigeria’s Office of the National Security Adviser, development and strengthening of national fraud strategies through the exchange of best practice, frameworks, and lessons learned, along with potential joint public awareness campaigns to deter fraudsters and exploration of collaboration between financial, online, and telecoms regulators and industry bodies in both countries to help close loopholes exploited by criminals.
Others are sharing insights on the misuse of financial systems, with the potential for joint studies and research into emerging threats, identifying training needs and delivering capacity-building initiatives, starting with targeted training for Nigerian prosecutors by the UK’s Serious Fraud Office, with further programmes planned, subject to funding.
Seventy per cent of fraud cases involve an international element.
“Today’s agreement forms part of a wider effort to build a unified international response to fraud – an issue continuing to harm individuals, undermine economies, and threaten national security,” said the statement.
The UK’s Minister for Fraud, Lord Hanson, has been in Abuja this week for meetings with Nigerian counterparts and other strategic partners. Lord Hanson, Nigeria’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, signed a memorandum of understanding and agreed on the action plan on Thursday, formalising a commitment to deeper collaboration.
Hanson said, “Our new agreement with Nigeria will help us better identify and stop fraud before it happens, crack down on criminals who exploit our systems, and ultimately protect the public from the devastating impact of fraud.
“My meetings in Abuja have been hugely constructive, giving us the opportunity to align our efforts and take meaningful action to prevent further harm. I’m proud to have signed this agreement, which sets both our nations firmly on the path to a safer and more resilient future.”
As one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing economies, the UK and Nigeria recognise the shared threat fraud poses to their prosperity and long-term stability.
According to the Crime Survey for England and Wales, fraud is the most commonly experienced crime in the UK, with more than one in 15 adults affected each year.
In the year ending December 2024, an estimated 4.1 million incidents were recorded, almost 43 per cent of all incidents recorded by the survey. The societal harm is also severe, with fraud against individuals in England and Wales alone estimated to cost £6.8 billion annually from 2019 to 2020.
Beyond the financial damage, the emotional and psychological toll on victims is devastating. Many report lasting emotional harm, while increasingly sophisticated criminals are using emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, to design realistic scams difficult to detect.
Financially motivated sexual extortion is a particularly cruel form of exploitation, with many victims tragically taking their own lives due to these scams. The NCA is committed to raising awareness, providing targeted support to victims, and improving the investigation and prosecution of offenders, both in the UK and internationally.
National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, said, “Building on the foundation of the past successes, we must confront crime with greater seriousness, deepen collaboration across all fronts, addressing enablers, supporting victims, and pursuing perpetrators, and sustain an unyielding commitment to protect our societies.”
Nick Sharpe, Deputy Director of Fraud at the NCA, said, “Over 70% of fraud impacting the UK is estimated to originate overseas or have overseas links. However, those same fraudsters often also target victims in their own country. This memorandum of understanding with the Federal Republic of Nigeria underscores our shared commitment to tackling a threat that causes significant harm to citizens of both nations.
In November 2024, the UK-Nigeria Fraud Dialogue was launched to strengthen further the two nations’ shared commitment to combating fraud.
The dialogue serves as a forum for regular exchanges of views and ideas, bringing together representatives from cybersecurity, law enforcement, and policy institutions, and provides a platform to review progress under the MoU.
