Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has decried the "blanket labelling" of Nigerians as corrupt, or people with a penchant for cybercrime.
He spoke at an anti-corruption and youth function in the capital Abuja on Wednesday.
"Over the decades, Nigerians have been victims of mislabelling. Such gross misrepresentation fails to reflect the true essence of our diverse and resilient nation," the president said.
"The association of internet crimes with the entire Nigerian populace lacks statistical evidence and does not align with the sociology of everyday Nigerians."
'Hardworking, honest citizens'
Tinubu said that Nigeria has many "hardworking and honest citizens who contribute significantly to various fields globally", including artificial intelligence and medicine.
"While we reject blanket stereotyping that undermines the majority upholding principles of integrity and diligence, we must face the fact that we function in an interconnected world where cybercrimes have evolved into a global phenomenon," he said.
"This poses a threat not only to our nation but to the entire world."
Tinubu assured the West African country's law enforcement agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), of "the government's support in its quest to combat these digital offences."
'Trust and integrity'
"The government is aware that our ambitious goal of eradicating internet offences and corruption demands an atmosphere steeped in trust and integrity," he said.
"We must foster open communication channels and ensure that law enforcement actions align with justice and accountability."
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