LAGOS, NIGERIA — A significant stakeholders’ retreat focused on repealing Nigeria’s existing cybercrime laws and establishing a new National Cybersecurity Agency (NCA) is underway at the Lagos Continental Hotel in Victoria Island. The retreat, which began yesterday, is being chaired by Senator Shuaib Afolabi Salisu, Chairman of the Senate Committee on ICT and Cybersecurity. It is scheduled to conclude tomorrow, Saturday.
The gathering has brought together a wide array of key government agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Nigeria Police Force, the Federal Ministry of Justice, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), and the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA). Senator Salisu noted the “robust participation” of his colleagues from both the Senate and the House of Representatives, highlighting a collective legislative commitment to the cause.
The central focus of the retreat is the “meticulous consideration” of a new bill aimed at repealing the current Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015. This proposed legislation, to be known as the Cybercrime and Cybersecurity Act, is designed to create a comprehensive and modern legal framework for preventing, prohibiting, investigating, and prosecuting cybercrimes in Nigeria.
A cornerstone of the new bill is the creation of the National Cybersecurity Agency (NCA). This new agency will have the central responsibility of regulating and coordinating cybersecurity efforts across the nation, making Nigeria more “equipped, agile, and strategically aligned” to tackle digital threats.
Senator Salisu expressed confidence that the insights gained from the discussions would “significantly strengthen the final bill” and fortify collective efforts to protect national digital infrastructure and safeguard citizens from cyber threats.
