Nigeria Moves to Tighten Cybersecurity Laws

The Federal Government has taken steps to strengthen the country’s digital security framework, with a senior official outlining the policy measures in place to protect Nigerians online.

Dr. Ayodele Bakare, Assistant Director in the Cybersecurity Department at the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), spoke on the matter during an interview in Abuja on Monday. He confirmed that Nigeria’s cybersecurity system operates through a coordinated network of government institutions, each assigned distinct responsibilities under a national framework.

The Office of the National Security Adviser leads overall coordination through its operational arm, the National Cybersecurity Coordination Centre. Below that level, agencies, including NITDA, carry out sector-specific implementation.

“At the national level, cybersecurity implementation is done collectively, and different government organisations are responsible for implementing different aspects of the national cybersecurity framework. At the top, however, the Office of the National Security Adviser coordinates these efforts through the National Cybersecurity Coordination Centre,” Bakare said.

New Regulation in the Pipeline

NITDA is also finalising a new Information Security Regulation, which will define clear responsibilities for organisations and individuals in protecting digital assets and sensitive information. Bakare confirmed the regulation is nearly ready for public release.

The agency has a track record of setting regulatory groundwork. It introduced the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation in 2019, which later formed the basis for the Nigeria Data Protection Commission. That framework was further reinforced in 2023, when President Bola Tinubu signed the Nigeria Data Protection Act into law.

On the legislative side, the Cybercrimes (Prohibition and Prevention) Act 2015 remains central to Nigeria’s legal response to online crime. The law was amended in 2024 to address emerging digital threats.

NITDA has also introduced the National Public Key Infrastructure Regulation — a technical instrument designed to verify the authenticity of digital communications and electronic transactions.

“One of such regulations is the National Public Key Infrastructure Regulation, which is one of the core infrastructures required to ensure trust and security in digital communications and transactions,” Bakare said.

Nigeria’s regulatory progress has drawn recognition internationally. The country recorded a strong performance under the legal measures pillar of the Global Cybersecurity Index, which evaluates the strength of national cybersecurity laws. Meanwhile, with over 142 million active internet subscribers as of January 2025, Nigeria remains Africa’s largest internet market — and the scale of its digital exposure makes these protections increasingly urgent.

Bakare stressed that enforcement remains a shared responsibility. He called for continued collaboration between government agencies, private sector operators, and citizens to translate existing policy into effective protection on the ground.