Society’s dependence on information and communication technologies makes strong cybersecurity measures indispensable. Governments globally are enacting various regulations, including cybercrime laws, cybersecurity laws, data protection laws, cyber safety laws, and cyber warfare laws to counter the rising tide of digital threats.

Despite instituting several regulatory measures, Nigeria's cybersecurity landscape is plagued by some challenges: an outdated and inadequate Cybercrime Act as well as its perceive misuse by law enforcement authorities, lack of a comprehensive (horizontal) cybersecurity law, a reactive rather than proactive legislative approach, fragmented and complex coordination framework, weak institutional capacity and shortage of cyber-skilled professionals, and low public cybersecurity awareness.

To address these challenges, this policy brief recommends a comprehensive reform of Nigeria's cybersecurity framework. Key recommendations include:

• Conducting an in-depth study to inform the amendment of the Cybercrime Act to address modern threats like deepfakes and ransomware.
• Enacting a comprehensive (horizontal) Cybersecurity Act to standardise obligations across all critical sectors.
• Include period review mechanisms in future cybersecurity legislation to ensure the laws keep up to date.
• Address issues of cybercrime victim support.
• Prioritise stakeholder engagement and greater transparency in legislative processes.
• Establishing a new, centralised national authority for cybersecurity to streamline enforcement and coordination, taking this responsibility from the ONSA.
• Domesticating the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime to enhance international cooperation.
• Establish a national cyber defence framework leveraging citizen expertise.
• Intensifying national skill-building initiatives and public awareness campaigns to foster a culture of cyber hygiene.

These reforms are crucial for strengthening Nigeria's national security, economic stability, and public trust in the digital age.

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