Cryptocurrency fraud in Nigeria is exclusively committed by young men, with 100% of convicted fraudsters being male and nearly two-thirds under the age of 30, according to a new study from the University of Surrey.

The United States is firmly in the sights of these criminals, with 55% of all cases involving American targets.

The study, conducted in collaboration with Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), analysed case files of convicted cryptocurrency fraudsters in Nigeria.

It paints a disturbing picture of a new, tech-savvy criminal demographic conducting sophisticated crimes that exploit digital currencies to defraud victims across borders.

These activities pose significant challenges to traditional law enforcement.

Dr Suleman Lazarus, one of the lead authors of the study and cybercrime expert at the University of Surrey, said:  “Our research reveals a disturbing surge in cryptocurrency fraud. We’re observing a rising generation of young, tech-savvy male offenders who adeptly exploit digital platforms and cryptocurrencies to perpetrate high-stakes fraud. The fact that they predominantly target victims in the United States spotlights the transnational nature of this threat and underlines the urgent need for international collaboration to curb these crimes.”

The research team reviewed individual case files of convicted cryptocurrency fraudsters to gain insights into the methods, motivations, and financial gains of these digital criminals.

The study found that fraudsters used a variety of popular social media and communication platforms to perpetrate their schemes, with Facebook (27%), Gmail (22%), and Instagram (14%) being the most common.

Perhaps most alarmingly, the study revealed that Bitcoin was the preferred method for 46% of cryptocurrency fraud cases.

This preference for Bitcoin highlights the challenges law enforcement faces in tracking and recovering stolen funds due to the anonymity provided by cryptocurrencies.

The financial gains from these fraudulent activities varied significantly, ranging from $1,000 to as much as $475,000 in cash and even 1,200 Bitcoin (approximately $81.96 million). These figures underscore the lucrative nature of cryptocurrency fraud and its potential to inflict substantial financial harm on victims.

Interestingly, the study also revealed that only a quarter of convicted fraudsters held a degree, challenging the common perception that sophisticated digital crimes require a high level of technical expertise.

Dr Lazarus continued: “As cryptocurrencies continue to gain popularity, our research serves as a wake-up call for law enforcement agencies, policymakers, and the general public to remain vigilant against the evolving threats in the digital financial landscape.”

Risk Warning: Cryptocurrency is a unregulated virtual notoriously volatile instrument with a high level of risk.

Any news, opinions, research, data, or other information contained within this website is provided for news reporting purposes as general market commentary and does not constitute investment or trading advice.

Investing is a journey that evolves as you progress through various stages of life. Each stage has distinct financial priorities, goals, and risk tolerances, requiring tailored investment strategies to ensure long-term economic success. Whether you are just stepping into adulthood, entering your mid-career phase, or preparing for retirement, aligning your investment approach with your current life stage is essential for building and preserving wealth.

Early Adulthood (Ages 18–30): Setting the Foundation for Growth

The early adulthood is marked by fresh beginnings—completing education, starting a career, and becoming financially independent. During this stage, individuals typically have a long investment horizon, which allows them to take on more risk.

At this age, the primary focus should be on building a solid financial foundation. Start by creating a budget that prioritizes saving, paying off high-interest debt, and setting up an emergency fund to cover unexpected expenses. Once these essentials are in place, begin exploring investment opportunities that offer growth potential over time.

Key Strategies:

• Invest in Stocks: With decades ahead of you, investing in equities can provide the high returns needed to grow your wealth over the long term. Consider contributing to individual stocks or low-cost index funds.
• Start Retirement Savings Early: Take full advantage of employer-sponsored retirement plans and contribute enough to get any matching benefits. If available, open an IRA (Individual Retirement Account) to diversify your retirement savings.
• Take Risks: This is the time to be more aggressive in your portfolio choices since your long-time horizon allows you to recover from market downturns.
• Invest in Yourself: Beyond financial markets, investing in education, skills, and personal development can have long-lasting benefits for your earning potential.

By setting the groundwork for your financial future in your twenties, you can capitalize on compounding growth and set up habits that will help you in the years to come.

Midlife (Ages 30–45): Balancing Growth with Responsibilities

As you move into your 30s and 40s, your financial responsibilities typically increase, especially if you are buying a home, supporting a family, or advancing in your career. While it is still important to focus on growing your wealth, you also need to balance growth with more stability as your obligations expand.

In this stage, you may have more disposable income, but it is essential to keep financial discipline and avoid lifestyle inflation, which can derail long-term goals. Your investment strategy should now include more diversification to protect against market volatility while continuing to build wealth.

Key Strategies:

• Diversify Your Portfolio: In addition to stocks, consider distributing part of your portfolio to bonds, real estate, or dividend-paying stocks. A balanced portfolio can provide growth while reducing risk exposure.
• Increase Retirement Contributions: As your income increases, try to max out contributions to retirement accounts. This is also a suitable time to consider diversifying into other tax-efficient investment vehicles, such as Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) or brokerage accounts.
• Plan for Education Expenses: If you have children or plan to in the future, start saving for education costs through savings plans or other investment vehicles.
• Protect Your Assets: Ensure you have adequate insurance coverage, including health, life, and disability insurance, to safeguard your financial well-being.

Balancing wealth accumulation with stability during this period will set the stage for a secure financial future as your career peaks and family responsibilities grow.

Late Career (Ages 45–60): Shifting Toward Preservation and Income

In your late 40s and 50s, retirement is no longer a distant concept—it is an impending reality. During this stage, you should begin shifting your investment strategy from aggressive growth to a more balanced approach that prioritizes wealth preservation and income generation.

This is also the time to carefully review your retirement savings and evaluate whether your current strategy will allow you to meet your post-retirement goals. The risk tolerance naturally decreases in this stage, as you have fewer working years left to recover from significant market downturns.

Key Strategies:

• Reduce Risk Exposure: Gradually shift your portfolio towards more conservative investments, such as bonds, fixed-income funds, or dividend-paying stocks. The goal is to preserve capital while keeping some exposure to growth.
• Maximize Retirement Savings: With retirement on the horizon, take advantage of catch-up contributions for retirement accounts that allow you to save more after age 50. Review your projected retirement income and adjust contributions as needed.
• Plan for Healthcare Costs: As you get closer to retirement, healthcare expenses become a more significant consideration. Look into long-term care insurance and ensure you have a plan for covering medical costs in retirement.
• Diversify Income Streams: Consider diversifying your income sources through annuities, rental income, or other forms of passive income to provide added security in retirement.

At this stage, your primary goal should be to transition from wealth-building to wealth preservation, ensuring that your financial assets will last throughout your retirement years.

Retirement (Ages 60 and beyond): Preserving Wealth and Generating Income

Once you have retired, the focus shifts entirely to protecting the wealth you’ve accumulated and ensuring a steady income stream to support your lifestyle. With no active income from work, it is critical to manage your assets carefully to make them last throughout your retirement years.

Retirement brings a lower risk tolerance, as large losses can significantly affect your quality of life. As such, your portfolio should be predominantly conservative, emphasizing income generation and capital protection.

Key Strategies:

• Generate Steady Income: Look for reliable income sources, such as bonds, dividend-paying stocks, or annuities, to cover daily living expenses without drawing too heavily on your retirement savings.
• Maintain Liquidity: Ensure that you have enough liquid assets to cover immediate expenses and any emergencies that may arise. Having access to cash or liquid investments like money market funds can prevent the need to sell long-term investments at inopportune times.
• Manage Withdrawals Carefully: Develop a withdrawal strategy that allows your assets to last for the duration of your retirement. One popular method is the 4% rule, where you withdraw 4% of your portfolio each year, adjusted for inflation. However, this should be customized based on your unique financial situation.
• Review Estate Plans: Ensure your estate plans are up to date to reflect your wishes about the distribution of your assets after your death. Regularly review your beneficiaries, wills, and trusts to avoid potential legal issues for your heirs.

Managing wealth in retirement is about finding the right balance between enjoying your hard-earned savings and ensuring they will sustain you for the rest of your life.

Conclusion

Investing is not a one-size-fits-all journey. As you move through various stages of life, your financial priorities and risk tolerance evolve, requiring you to adjust your investment strategy accordingly. In your younger years, focus on aggressive growth to build a solid foundation. In midlife, balance growth with stability to protect your assets while continuing to grow wealth.

As you near retirement, shift towards preserving capital and generating income to ensure a comfortable and secure future. No matter the life stage, staying informed, regularly reviewing your financial plan, and seeking professional advice, when necessary, will help you achieve your long-term financial goals.

The African Development Bank has approved a $100 million loan to increase access to finance for youth and women-led small and medium enterprises, under the Nigeria Youth Entrepreneurship Investment Bank (YEIB) initiative.

The Nigeria YEIB is a pioneering institution designed to foster economic growth and job creation in the country by acting as an ecosystem anchor and convener, bringing together relevant financial and non-financial stakeholders to collaborate more effectively in support of youth entrepreneurs.

The Bank is leading the coordination among key Nigeria YEIB anchor investors and partners, including the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Ministry of Finance Incorporated, the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), and the Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN). The Bank Group’s $100 million investment will be bolstered by an additional $25 million from DBN and $5 million from NSIA.

The project has two main pillars: establishing the YEIB Investment Management Company to oversee three special purpose vehicles – an Equity Investment Fund (EIF), an Ecosystem Development Fund (EDF), and a Credit Guarantee Facility (CGF) – and creating these vehicles to support youth and women-led businesses.

The EIF will invest in early-stage and high-growth enterprises, while the EDF will provide grants for business development service providers and reimbursable grants to youth-led businesses.

The CGF will offer risk mitigation to improve access to credit for SMEs, managed by the Development Bank of Nigeria’s subsidiary, Impact Credit Guarantee Limited.

By de-risking young entrepreneurs and fostering talent, the Bank’s YEIB initiative aims to provide the patient capital and ecosystem support needed to turn ideas into sustainable businesses, offering a long-term solution to Africa’s youth unemployment crisis.

The Nigeria YEIB project aims to create over 161,000 direct jobs, 40% of which will be for women, and 1.4 million indirect jobs, with 35% allocated to women. It will also support more than 38,000 youth-led enterprises through financial services, and an additional 38,000 through non-financial services, with at least 40 percent of beneficiaries being women.

Following the approval, the Bank’s Director General for Nigeria, Dr Abdul Kamara, emphasised the transformative nature of the project. “This initiative will be a game-changer for Nigeria’s economy, addressing youth unemployment and closing gender gaps through targeted entrepreneurship support,” Kamara said.

The Director of the Bank’s Financial Sector Development Department, Mr Ahmed Attout said, “The YEIB is a transformative initiative that moves beyond project-based approaches to systemic, institutional solutions for entrepreneurship development across all sectors.

“By positioning Nigerian youth entrepreneurs as a high-potential investment asset class, it brings together key stakeholders to unlock financial opportunities, open new avenues for public and private sector investors, and tackle the structural challenges facing young entrepreneurs.”

The Nigeria YEIB project is the third to be approved, with efforts ongoing to establish YEIBs in several African countries. In July 2023, the Bank approved $16 million for the establishment of a YEIB in Liberia, and in May 2024, approved $43 million for a project in Ethiopia that includes the design and establishment of the country’s YEIB.