Scammers in Nigeria are increasingly using artificial intelligence (AI) tools, paid Facebook advertisements, and images of influential people to target a larger pool of potential victims. This strategy keeps scam operations active even as the government and social media platforms attempt to crack down on fraudulent activities.
Data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Internet Crime Complaint Center released in early April 2026 indicates that Nigeria ranked 12th globally for cybercrime complaints in 2025. Africa's most populous nation also appeared among the countries most frequently receiving fraudulent wire transfers, highlighting the global scale of these operations. As more Nigerians adopt digital services and AI technology advances, the opportunities for scammers expand as they continually refine their methods.
While earlier scams were often identified by poor grammar, generic greetings, and spelling errors, AI tools—especially generative AI and large language models (LLMs)—now produce flawless, natural-sounding content. Machine intelligence has fundamentally changed the scam landscape, transforming previously amateurish attempts into personalized and convincing deceptions.
Sponsored Facebook Ads Promising High Returns
One such sponsored social media post, designed to lure people into parting with their money through promises of hefty returns, claims that an investment of N430,000 (approximately $310) guarantees up to N14,000,000 ($10,400) per month. The video features a digital character impersonating Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, a federal lawmaker representing Kogi Central.
“I am Senator Natasha Akpoti, and I am going to reveal a secret to you. Today is your lucky day. I am not sure if everyone will be able to watch this video. But those who are lucky enough will get a real opportunity to change their lives. Starting today, you can earn from N14 million per month,” the digital character claimed. “It is important to understand one thing: opportunities like this can’t be opened up to everyone at once. The whole country would instantly turn into a nation of millionaires.”
The video emerged amid Nigeria's ongoing economic hardship, a situation that makes the promise of easy money particularly appealing. The purported Senator promoted early retirement and increased savings as benefits, stating it was neither a forex-based scheme nor a pyramid scheme. Akpoti-Uduaghan, 46, is widely regarded as a philanthropist and social entrepreneur in Nigeria with a long record of humanitarian initiatives.
“This is a partnership with an international company with an excellent reputation, which, at our request, has provided access to an automated investment platform,” the figure in the 2-minute 46-second video claimed. “The programme we have developed uses artificial intelligence to accurately predict market behaviour and ensure stable profits. You don’t need to do anything; the system does everything for you. All you need to do is watch the results.”
According to her, no special knowledge is required, and the opportunity has been “tested,” with a small group of volunteers reportedly earning over N10 million ($7,400) in the first month. “I say this with complete confidence: if you don’t earn at least N1 million ($740) in the first week, I will personally refund you N430,000.”
The post, published by a page called ‘Nigeria Daily Report’, included a sign-off message asking users to visit spr**gbunnh**es.online and “leave your details.” The page was created on August 25, 2023, under the name Gott Chris Siebor and was renamed on April 13, 2026. Based on the address and phone number provided, it may be managed from Vietnam, a country where cybercriminals are known to operate.
Verification and Expert Analysis
Michael Idoko, the media aide to Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, denied that the legislator endorsed the promoted opportunity. He told Legit.ng: “It’s fake. It is a manipulated clip that appears to feature my principal’s voice and image. It is entirely fabricated and should not be trusted.”
Legit.ng observed that while the audio aligns with lip movements in some instances, it is inconsistent in others, suggesting the video may be artificially generated. Analysis using Hiya CGI Detector produced a probability score of 2 out of 100, indicating the voice is 'likely fake'.
Shortly after the initial post, four more similar ads surfaced featuring public figures including Nigerian opposition leader Peter Obi, billionaire businessman Aliko Dangote, and media personality Kadaria Ahmed. All appeared within a one-hour window, seemingly driven by Meta’s ad-personalisation system. Analysis of the Obi video using Hive AI showed an 82.2% probability of AI manipulation.
Another manipulated video bore Channels Television’s watermark and featured Ahmed. In the clip, Seun Okinbaloye, a Channels anchor, introduced Ahmed as presenting an investment project “on behalf of the government.” The video then cut to Ahmed on Arise News’ The Morning Show, an abrupt switch unlikely for competing broadcasters. Ahmed could not have spoken “on behalf of the government” as she is not a public official. Reverse image searches revealed the main segment was taken from a YouTube video uploaded by Arise News on August 3, 2022, in which Ahmed spoke about journalistic responsibilities.
The promoted platform billymccallion.com, where viewers were urged to register to 'earn $700 a day', was originally a personal portfolio site for Billy McCallion, a web designer in Scotland. The domain was registered in 2006 and updated in December 2025, but its content shifted to an online brokerage, a typical red flag for fraud.
Meta’s Role and Revenue from Scam Ads
Meta, owner of Facebook, internally projected in late 2024 that it would generate about 10% of its overall annual revenue (or $16 billion) from running advertising for scams and banned goods. According to Reuters in November 2025, internal documents showed Meta failed to identify and stop an avalanche of ads exposing users to illegal online casinos, fraudulent schemes, and banned medical products. The company’s platforms display an estimated 15 billion “higher-risk” scam ads daily, earning about $7 billion in annualised revenue from this category.
Meta spokesman Andy Stone argued that the documents present a selective view, stating: “We aggressively fight fraud and scams because people on our platforms don’t want this content, legitimate advertisers don’t want it, and we don’t want it either.” He claimed that over the past 18 months, user reports of scam ads globally have reduced by 58% and that more than 134 million pieces of scam ad content have been removed in 2025.
Dr Ridwan Abiola Kolawole of the University of Ibadan noted that tech platforms often prioritise profits over scrutiny. “Tech businesses are owned by bourgeois techpreneurs. So, many a time, the motive is to competitively raise profits and expand their reach. When businesses (genuine and fake) bring services to advertise, they accept them with little scrutiny.” He called for comprehensive ethical reviews and stronger regulations, citing Nigeria’s suspension of Twitter as an example of how countries can dictate terms.
Authorities’ Response
In September 2025, Nigeria’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) raised the alarm over a surge in investment scams using AI to promise guaranteed returns and fake endorsements. The regulator stated that several online platforms operate without SEC registration and promote AI-powered trading systems promising unrealistic profits. The SEC noted that manipulated clips of politicians, celebrities, and TV presenters are circulated via Facebook ads, Instagram reels, and Telegram groups.
The commission strengthened partnerships with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) for data-sharing and joint enforcement. “We are moving from reactive to predictive oversight,” the SEC emphasised. In March 2026, SEC Director-General Emomotimi Agama disclosed that the regulator had shut down more than 400 fraudulent investment schemes across Nigeria in the past three years.
Business advisor Adekunle Razaq Aderibigbe cautioned investors: “In the financial management space, there is no such theory as an investment that promises high returns with low risk. That's like saying a male can be impregnated to give birth.” Financial market writer Olumide Adesina added: “Higher potential returns are only possible by taking on higher risk. Most of these ads are scams designed to lure uninformed people.”
Legit.ng’s findings confirm that the videos claiming prominent Nigerians endorse online empowerment schemes are not authentic. Criminals increasingly use generative AI to facilitate financial fraud. The public is advised to remain cautious and verify any investment opportunity before committing funds.
