Stakeholders in the labour sector have stressed the need for stronger collaboration to tackle the rising menace of employment fraud in Nigeria.
They spoke during an online seminar organised by the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) in partnership with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The seminar was titled: “Tackling the Menace of Employment Fraud in the Public and Private Sectors: The Issues, Challenges, and a Collaborative Way Out.”
Mr. Nuhu Toro, Secretary-General of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, said the fight against employment fraud was essential to advancing social justice, decent work, and national development.
He said only an inclusive, transparent, and rights-based employment system could help Nigeria tackle the issue effectively. Toro called for the use of technology—such as mobile apps and data analytics—to detect and report employment-related fraud.
“For example, secure mobile apps for anonymous whistleblowing can expose fake employment letters, ghost workers, and fraudulent practices,” he explained.
He added that data analytics could help identify patterns of payroll fraud, including duplicated names, mismatched bank details, and inflated salaries.
Toro praised NECA for initiating the dialogue and pledged continued partnership with EFCC and similar organisations to combat the menace.
EFCC Chairman Mr. Ola Olukoyede, represented by Dr. Joseph Ogwiji, Acting Commandant of the EFCC Academy, said employment fraud posed a growing threat to Nigeria’s workforce integrity.
He noted that tackling the issue requires collective responsibility from government, businesses, and citizens.
“Let us join hands to protect honest job seekers and restore trust in our employment systems,” he said.
NECA’s Director-General, Mr. Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, said the organisation would continue engaging partners to promote ethical hiring practices.
“Our collaboration with the EFCC stems from the far-reaching damage employment fraud inflicts on individuals, businesses, and the economy,” he said.
