Envoys urge urgent reform of Cybercrimes Act on Nigeria’s Democracy Day

DDM News

As Nigeria marks 26 years of democracy, five foreign missions have called for urgent reform of the Cybercrimes Act.

They warned that the current law threatens free speech and could derail Nigeria’s democratic and economic aspirations, Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathers.

The envoys represent the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Norway, and Finland.

Their joint statement was released on Thursday, coinciding with Nigeria’s annual Democracy Day celebration.

They expressed concern that the Act, especially after its 2024 amendments, is being used to suppress dissenting voices.

According to them, this misuse undermines civic engagement and investor confidence in Nigeria’s digital economy.

“Democratic advancement and innovation suffer when laws are misapplied to target critics,” the statement read.

The diplomats include Richard Mills Jr. (U.S.), Richard Montgomery (U.K.), Pasquale Salvaggio (Canada), Svein Baera (Norway), and Sanna Selin (Finland).

They acknowledged the Act’s original purpose of fighting cybercrime, such as online fraud costing Nigeria over $500 million yearly.

However, they argued that ambiguous terms in the law create room for abuse and misinterpretation.

The statement referenced President Bola Tinubu’s Democracy Day address emphasizing the value of diverse perspectives in a democratic society.

They said that such diversity must be protected, not penalised, especially through legislation with vague definitions.

One example cited was the case of activist Dele Farotimi, charged under the Act for exposing alleged judicial corruption.

Though the charges were dropped, the diplomats said the case shows how the law can be misused.

They also echoed concerns raised by the National Human Rights Commission about the law’s threat to free expression.

The diplomats warned that misapplying the Act could criminalise legitimate dissent and weaken Nigeria’s digital economy.

“Innovation depends on free expression and legal clarity,” they said, urging immediate reform of the Act.

They criticised undefined terms like “false information,” “cyberstalking,” “insult,” “hatred,” and “harassment” as legally vague and open to misuse.

They added that these terms increase legal uncertainty, making investors wary of entering Nigeria’s digital market.

They welcomed the Information Minister’s promise to review the law but criticised delays in the reform process.

They called on lawmakers to make the review a national priority with full public consultation and transparent procedures.

“A democratic country must ensure that laws cannot be misused to silence critics,” the statement continued.

The envoys urged Nigeria’s National Assembly to clarify and narrow definitions to avoid future abuse.

They stressed that law reform is essential not just for democracy but also for Nigeria’s digital and economic future.

The diplomats reaffirmed international support, including the Council of Europe’s Global Action on Cybercrime programme.

This initiative is designed to help countries like Nigeria develop responsible and rights-based internet laws.

They encouraged Nigeria to strike a balance between security and human rights in regulating the digital space.

“Democracy and economic growth depend on openness, not fear,” they said in their concluding remarks.

The envoys reminded all stakeholders that freedom of speech is a constitutional right in Nigeria and democracies worldwide.

“Nigerians should freely express opinions, even if unpopular,” they noted, reaffirming support for democratic values.

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