The Nigerian Senate has commenced the amendment process for the Cybercrime Act of 2015, recognizing the escalating financial losses incurred by the country due to cybercrime activities. Senate President Godswill Akpabio, represented by Senate Leader Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, highlighted the detrimental impact of cybercrime on Nigeria’s economy during the opening of a one-day public hearing on the Cybercrime (Prohibition and Prevention) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2023 at the Senate Complex in Abuja on Wednesday.
Akpabio emphasized the necessity of establishing a comprehensive legal framework to effectively deter, investigate, pursue, and prosecute cybercriminals. He underscored the urgency to fortify existing laws on cybercrime prohibition and prevention to keep pace with technological advancements, citing the exploitation of loopholes by certain individuals in the past.
“In this age of rapid technological advancement and widespread internet usage, cybercrime has emerged as a grave menace to our society, economy, and personal security,” Akpabio stated. He pointed out that illegal activities such as hacking, identity theft, fraud, harassment, and cyber terrorism had inflicted significant financial losses on the country, invaded privacy, disrupted critical infrastructure, and eroded trust in digital systems.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) contributed to the discussion, revealing that Nigeria is losing $500 million annually to various forms of cybercrime, including hacking, identity theft, cyber terrorism, harassment, and internet fraud.
Senator Shuaib Salisu, Chairman of the Senate Committee on ICT and Cyber Security, explained the rationale behind amending the Cybercrime (Prohibition and Prevention) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2023. He emphasized the collaborative effort required among the government, industry, civil society, and academia to effectively tackle the complex and multidimensional challenge of cybersecurity.
During the public hearing, the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) called for the amendment of Section 24 of the Cybercrime Act, 2015, asserting that its provisions undermine freedom of expression and press freedom. NUJ representatives highlighted instances of harassment, arrest, and detention of journalists using Section 24 and argued that it contradicts the constitutional guarantee of freedom of expression and the press.
Senator Shehu Umar, Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence, expressed concerns about the escalating threat to cybersecurity across various sectors of the Nigerian economy. As the main sponsor of the bill, Senator Umar stressed the need for urgent amendments to the current cybercrime law, citing its limitations in enabling the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and the Nigeria Police to combat cybercrime effectively.
The one-day public hearing, hosted by the Senate joint committee on ICT & Cybersecurity and National Security & Intelligence, marks a significant step toward fortifying Nigeria’s legal framework to address the evolving challenges posed by cybercrime.
