Criminal Entrepreneurship and National Security in Nigeria

Criminal entrepreneurship has been a major factor contributing to insecurity in Nigeria, which has resulted in the occurrence of organised crimes like kidnapping, crude oil theft, cybercrime, illegal mining, money laundering, and arms trafficking. Terrorism and ethnic violence have attracted a lot of attention, but the political and economic structures that encourage such activities remain hidden to a large extent. The role of criminal entrepreneurs has not yet been fully understood. The study examines the factors that contribute to insecurity in Nigeria, such as the criminal entrepreneurs' exploitation of socioeconomic weaknesses, institutional deficiencies, and political favour. A qualitative documentary research method is used with a conceptual framework based on the Crime opportunity theory (COT). The study draws on secondary data consisting of academic journals, government documents, and institutional databases covering the period between 2020 and 2025. The findings indicate that the criminal entrepreneurs are well-connected with the politically exposed persons (PEPs), and this connection allows them to scheme, finance, and reap the benefits from organised crime. Thus, the rule of law and government are weakened by this. The paper claims that the security dilemma in Nigeria has a partially entrepreneurial component to it, requiring a governance-driven intervention that focuses on the economic, political, and social cores of organised crime. In order to cut down ‘illegal entrepreneurs' impact, it will be necessary to strengthen the legal system, enhance intelligence capabilities, and promote economic participation.