By Nathaniel Zacchaeus, Abuja
The Senate yesterday expressed concerns about an annual loss of $500m to various forms of cybercrime across the federation, warning that if the national cybersecurity programme was not effectively funded, the gains of the digital economy would be defeated.
Consequently, the upper chamber resolved to review and amend the Cybercrime (Prohibition and Prevention) Act, 2015 to put an end to the exploitation of Nigeria’s digital space by cybercriminals and certain individuals with misguided intentions.
President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, expressed the concerns yesterday at the inauguration of a public hearing on the 2023 Cybercrime (Prohibition and Prevention) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2023 at the Senate Complex, Abuja.
The inauguration was at the instance of the Chairman of the Senate Committee on ICT and Cyber Security, Senator Shuaib Afolabi Salisu; the Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence, Senator Shehu Buba Umar, and all members of their committees.
In its report, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) claimed that Nigeria “is losing $500m annually to all forms of cybercrime including hacking, identity theft, cyber terrorism, harassment and Internet fraud.
At the inauguration of the public hearing yesterday, the Senate President lamented that certain individuals with misguided intentions “are exploited cybercrime laws by tarnishing the reputation of Nigeria.”
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Akpabio, represented by the Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, observed that it was imperative to establish a comprehensive legal framework to deter, investigate, pursue, and prosecute cybercriminals.
The Senate President said, “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.
“It is imperative and strengthen the existing laws on cybercrime prohibition and prevention. In the past, certain individuals with misguided intentions exploited our weak cybercrime laws, thereby tarnishing the reputation of our country.
“They engaged in a wide array of illegal activities, such as hacking, identity theft, fraud, harassment, and cyber-terrorism. These crimes not only inflicted significant financial losses upon our country, but also invaded our privacy, disrupted critical infrastructure, and eroded trust in our digital systems.”
Consequently, according to the Senate president, it is of utmost national and economic importance that we establish a comprehensive legal framework to deter, investigate, pursue, and prosecute cybercriminals.
In his opening remarks, Salisu explained the national significance of amending the Cybercrime (Prohibition and Prevention) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2023, saying it was intended to enhance the effectiveness of the law by addressing emerging threats and strengthening existing provisions.
He, therefore, challenged all the stakeholders to bring a wealth of knowledge, experience, and diverse perspectives on cybercrime to the front burner.
He pointed out that cybersecurity “is a complex and multidimensional challenge that requires a collaborative effort among the government, industry, civil society, and academia.”
Also at the inauguration, Umar expressed grave concerns about the alarming exploitation and growing widespread of cybersecurity across all sectors, noting that the high cases of cybercrime had placed demand on the country to review the country’s law.
