The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) has provided insight into how the misuse of technology for financial crimes, including child pornography by Nigerian youths, is damaging the country’s reputation internationally.
International IDEA’s Head of Programme, Mr. Danladi Plang, made this disclosure on Tuesday in Abuja at the National Summit on Cybercrime.
The summit, themed “Alternatives to Cybercrimes: Optimising Cyber Skills for National Development,” was organised by the EFCC with the support of the European Union-funded Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC II) Programme of International IDEA.
He stated: “Cybercrime is a worldwide phenomenon. The digitalization of various economic and social life sectors in recent years has led to an unprecedented increase in the collection and analysis of data.
“Technology offers the ease of convenience for information transfer and storage on a cloud-based system. This increased connectivity raises the possibility and potential for information, such as personal data, trade secrets, and bank account details, to be stolen or leaked.
“Therefore, as technology has progressed, and our reliance upon it has escalated, so in turn, cybercrime has intensified.
“Nigeria has a very youthful population, which is skilled in the use of technology. However, this skill has been used negatively in various forms, including digital financial crime.
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“This has not only given the country a bad name internationally but also poses a significant threat to the financial system and has led to increased crimes against individuals, including child pornography.”
While acknowledging the efforts of the EFCC and other law enforcement agencies (LEAs) in combating cybercrime, Plang stressed the need to rethink Nigeria’s traditional approach of arrest, trial, conviction, and imprisonment.
According to him, focusing on alternative ways to channel the energy and skills of the youth toward productive uses of technology will strengthen cybercrime prevention mechanisms and create more legitimate opportunities for young people.
He added that the summit aims to increase public awareness of cybercrime prevention strategies, particularly among Nigerian youth, and to strengthen the legal and policy framework for addressing cybercrime and digital financial crimes.
