The National Assembly has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s legal framework to combat the growing threat of cybercrime and digital insecurity.
Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Digital, Information Communication Technology and Cybersecurity, Hon. Adedeji Dhikrullahi Stanley Olajide, emphasised the need for urgent and inclusive legal reforms to address the complexities of cybercrime.
Hon. Olajide noted that cyber threats such as AI-generated disinformation, crypto-enabled fraud, data privacy violations, and cross-border cyber terrorism pose a significant danger to Nigeria’s security, economy, and democratic institutions. He stressed that the current legal frameworks, particularly the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act of 2015, are no longer adequate to address emerging realities.
The lawmaker called for the update, harmonization, and future-proofing of Nigeria’s laws in line with international conventions such as the Budapest Convention and the Malabo Convention. He emphasized the need for enforcement mechanisms, including digital forensics, training, infrastructure, and cross-border cooperation, to give teeth to such legal reforms.
The Technical Meeting on Improving the Legal Framework for Cybercrime, organized by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Global Programme on Cybercrime, the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and the Federal Ministry of Justice, brought together key policymakers, security stakeholders, technocrats, and civil society actors to chart a new course for Nigeria’s cybersecurity governance.
A Commitment to Progress
Hon. Olajide reiterated the commitment of the House of Representatives Committee on Digital, Information Communication Technology and Cybersecurity to ensuring that legislative instruments are not only technologically responsive but also rooted in human rights, transparency, and digital inclusion. The meeting is part of ongoing efforts to fortify Nigeria’s institutional and legal capacity to prevent, investigate, and prosecute cybercrime, while aligning with global standards and best practices.
The National Assembly has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s legal framework to combat the growing threat of cybercrime and digital insecurity. Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Digital, Information Communication Technology and Cybersecurity, Hon. Adedeji Dhikrullahi Stanley Olajide, emphasized the need for urgent and inclusive legal reforms to address the complexities of cybercrime.
