Ajifa Solomon The dimly lit hall at the Bank of Agriculture on Joseph Gomwalk Road in Jos, Plateau State, Central Nigeria, buzzed with anticipation on Saturday, Feb. 15. Seventeen participants sat in plastic chairs, waiting to hear what was promised to be a game-changing investment opportunity, one that could supposedly earn them ₦1 million daily.
The room was filled with expectation as a young man in his twenties took the stage. He was short and dark-skinned, dressed in a white long-sleeved shirt beneath an ill-fitting black suit, paired with a blue tie and a pocket chief. His presence commanded attention. He picked up the microphone as an emotional instrumental soundtrack played softly in the background, the blue glow of LED lights casting shadows over the audience.
“Many were called, but only a chosen few [sic] made it here,” he said, welcoming the participants to “the Diamond Project”.
He introduced himself as ‘Mr Sumdi’ and launched into a two-hour monologue, blending motivational rhetoric with the gospel of risk-taking. His central message: only those willing to embrace financial uncertainty could achieve true wealth. The “smart” ones who followed his plan would be initiated into the Diamond Tribe, “a prestigious network of investors across Nigeria,” he claimed.
However, the audience did not yet realise they were sitting in the middle of an elaborate scam that had swindled several Nigerians of their money.
Diamond Project is the brainchild of Century 21 Freedom Group (C21FG) International, which claims to transform individuals into “better versions of themselves” through mentorship and a financial leverage system. Since its launch in January 2024, it has boasted of lifting 10,000 young Nigerians out of poverty, according to a report published by the state-owned News Agency of Nigeria.
The project offers a mix of wellness products, including herbal supplements, toothpaste, and chocolates. Investors are promised access to global business networks, intercontinental vacations, and, most importantly, a financial system where they can supposedly earn from the efforts of others.
“Use 1 per cent of 100 people’s effort rather than 100 per cent of your own,” Sumdi explained, echoing the structure of a classic pyramid scheme.
The audience listened intently as he painted a vision of effortless wealth.
“For every purchase made through you, you get a commission of ₦100. If 10,000 people buy daily, that’s ₦1 million in your account. Wetin concern you with Nigeria wahala if you get this kind money?” he asked in Pidgin English.
To drive his message home, he shared a sob story of hardship and triumph. He was the eleventh child in a family of thirteen, with a sister battling cancer. According to him, the Diamond Project saved his family from poverty and covered his sister’s medical expenses.
Sumdi then presented the audience with a range of investment packages. The cheapest, ‘Access Package,’ required an entry fee of ₦49,990, while the highest-tier ‘Platinum Package’ was pegged at ₦999,990.
“Anyone who invests ₦499,990 can make ₦117.6 million in return,” Sumdi promised. “Is that not a small price to secure your children’s future?”
He claimed the Diamond Project had a 90 per cent success rate, brushing off any risk of failure as negligible.
He further invoked the names of billionaire business moguls like Aliko Dangote and Mike Adenuga, implying that their ability to take risks had set them apart from the rest of the world.
JoeyOffAir’s investigation into the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) directory revealed that at least four companies affiliated with C21FG were registered between 2017 and 2022. However, three of these companies have failed to update their annual tax filings.
Digging deeper, a Ng-Check search—an independent Nigerian business directory—uncovered that Michael and Ifeoma Okoli are listed as board directors of these entities.
Dubious Products, False Promises
One of the project’s flagship products, ‘C24/7 Phyto Energiser’, was introduced as a miracle supplement, capable of curing ailments from diabetes to hypertension. A video demonstration showed a capsule dissolving in murky brown water, magically turning it “clean.”
“We encourage everyone experiencing any disease to take C24/7,” a narrator, speaking in a thick Asian accent, said in the video. “It will remove all diseases from your body.”
Another product, a hydrogen-water-generating bottle, was marketed as a revolutionary Japanese invention. However, the hydrogen infuser, which Sumdi claims was discovered in Japan last year, has been available since the 2010s, with companies such as Japan’s Victory and Taiwan’s Buder as major market players.
The device infuses water with molecular hydrogen, which Sumdi claimed could restore bodily functions and cure illnesses like cancer and hyperplasia.
Diamond Project likens hydrogen-infused water to medical IV drips used in emergency care. The machine is marketed for home use, where users pour in clean water, plug it in, and let the infusion occur. Sumdi also claimed that doctors at Jos University Teaching Hospital were purchasing it. However, when JoeyOffAir interviewed multiple doctors, none could confirm this.
While some studies suggest hydrogen molecules may help prevent diseases linked to oxidative stress, no credible research supports Sumdi’s claim that they cure cancer. Hydrogen therapy has been explored as a complementary approach to well-being, but reputable medical literature does not classify it as a cure for serious illnesses.
Moreover, hydrogen-infused water is not comparable to an IV drip, which contains electrolytes, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids.
The Perfect Blend of Lies
To reinforce the illusion, Sumdi showcased before-and-after pictures of supposed investors. One image depicted a woman sitting in front of a dilapidated hut; in the next, she lounged in luxury in Dubai.
A particularly compelling testimony came from Margaret Dunga, a supposed investor who had once struggled financially before the Diamond Project turned her fortunes around. Sumdi claimed that her bank account had been frozen because she had earned so much money via the scheme.
But there was a catch—the credit alert shown as “evidence” bore the name AIM Global, another notorious multi-level marketing company.
AIM Global, a Philippine-based MLM firm, has been blacklisted in several countries for operating illegal investment schemes. Reports on Nigeria’s largest internet forum, Nairaland, detail how countless people have fallen victim to its scams.
One user recounted: “They scammed me and those I invited via Nairaland. You register with ₦38,000, they give you worthless products, and then force you to recruit others under the guise of an NGO giving out business support funds.” [Note: The quote was paraphrased for clarity].
Pakistan’s Securities and Exchange Commission has warned against AIM Global, branding it a fraudulent scheme.
High-Pressure Sales Tactics
As the event drew to a close, Sumdi grabbed four VIP sheets and announced:
“The first four people to come up here will get access to the Platinum Pack!”
Four hopefuls rushed forward.
This was a classic psychological trick—creating urgency to push people into impulsive decisions.
Joeyoffair encountered Vivian Umage, one of the many victims of the scam. She had been lured in by a neighbour and, desperate to secure her financial future, invested ₦500,000 into ‘the Most Preferred Package’, following a seminar at a branch located at Nedus Complex, UTC Junction, British American in Jos.
She sold her bridal trousseau to raise the money and took a ₦200,000 loan. Umage was promised ₦100,000 as a registration bonus and a ₦20,000 commission for every recruit.
“When I told the manager I didn’t have the money, he asked me, ‘If your child needed emergency surgery, wouldn’t you find the money?’” she recalled.
But once she invested, the promised bonuses never came.
The same story plays out across Nigeria. These scams constantly rebrand—previously known as La Buena Vida Project, Smart Leverage OneM, Economy Designer Project, and more—each time luring in a new wave of victims with the same old promises of financial freedom.
Meanwhile, mainstream media, including state-owned broadcasters NTA and NAN, have unwittingly helped legitimise them by covering their supposed charity initiatives.
One victim summed up the bitter reality: “I heard about it on the radio and trusted it. I invested all my savings. Three months later, no alerts. I realised you had to recruit others to get paid—contrary to what they advertised. Reputable radio stations are allowing these scammers to exploit innocent people.”
A copy of the VIP sheet
Inside Diamond Project’s Recruitment
To attract new clients, the Diamond Project lures unsuspecting individuals with a so-called ‘survey’ that asks participants how much they would need to fund their businesses. Those who respond are invited for an ‘interview’—only to realise later it’s merely an explainer of how the Diamond Project operates.
Reservation for a Diamond Project interview
Upon joining, recruits like Vivian Umage undergo training designed to bring in even more unsuspecting individuals.
“We were taught to approach people and say we were conducting a survey to determine how many people work in government service or private organisations. Naturally, they wouldn’t object. Then, we’d ask if they were interested in launching a personal business. Most people would say ‘yes,’ and only then were we allowed to disclose the meeting venue,” she said.
However, when the promised ₦100,000 bonus and commissions never materialised, Umage realised she had been deceived.
“I had to fight just to get my bonus. By then, I had taken a loan that needed repayment. At one point, the people I borrowed money from took me to the police station because I couldn’t pay,” she recounted.
Realising the scam, she demanded a refund, but this marked the start of a draining legal battle. “They told me refunds were impossible because my money was for supplements—even though there was never any mention of supplements in our agreement. Do I look sick? Why would I pay ₦500,000 for supplements?”
Despite her efforts, all she received was a small package of supposedly high-value products. “I had to sell my shop’s clothes to repay the loan. Some nights, we go to bed hungry because this has drained all our money. I have become depressed.”
The legal battle between Diamond Project and Vivian Umage has taken a severe toll on her, pushing her into depression. Eventually, the court recommended an out-of-court settlement where all she received was a small package of products that Diamond Project claims to be worth ₦500,000.
A Pattern of Deception
Just like Umage, Nanret Paul* was tricked into joining the same Jos-based scheme. She was lured with the promise of an ’empowerment’ opportunity and a registration bonus at the scheme’s branch located in Nedus Complex, UTC Junction, British American, Jos. But upon paying, she discovered that her ‘bonus’ consisted of everyday items—chocolate, fruit juice, coffee, and a gas diffuser supposedly designed to prevent explosions.
“They initially told me the package was a bonus, but later I was informed that those were the goods I had paid for. I feel so stupid for falling for this scam,” she told JoeyOffAir.
Like Umage, Paul chose to pursue a legal recourse but eventually reached a compromise, choosing to let go and “leave everything in the hands of God.”
Much of the Diamond Project’s structure remains hidden from outsiders. Mr Sumdi, the face of the operation, repeatedly urged attendees to “key into the system” without actually explaining what that system was.
Dorcas Egbe*, who attended one of the training sessions, left more confused than when she arrived. “Sumdi was not clear about what exactly the Diamond Project does,” she said. “How can he expect people to invest when they don’t even understand what they’re putting their money into?”
JoeyOffAir’s attempts to clarify the Diamond Project’s structure and funding sources were met with hostility, as a visibly irritated coordinator snapped when questioned.
For the thousands of Nigerians ensnared in the web of the Diamond Project, financial freedom remains a cruel mirage—one that disappears the moment they hand over their money.
*We used pseudonyms to protect the identities of some of our sources.
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