Experts from the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the department of homeland security are in Nigeria to discuss ways of tackling cyber-crime.

The leader of the US team visiting Nigeria, special agent Matt Baechtle, has said the US has been collaborating with Nigeria’s Special Fraud Unit (SFU) because of the prevalence of crimes such as money laundering in Nigeria.

Baechtle also pledged that his team plans to assist the SFU in proposed training for officers and the gate keeping of financial organisations to help scuttle fraudsters.

According to the US state department’s ‘Money Laundering Report 2013’, Nigeria remains a significant centre for criminal financial activity.

Internet fraudsters and corrupt officials and business people, as well as criminal and terrorist organisations are allegedly taking advantage of the country’s location, porous borders, weak laws and lack of enforcement to commit crimes such as money laundering.

Nigeria, though, has attempted to improve its money laundering measures, including by enacting the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act in February.