Say Nigeria faces 4,388 weekly cyber-attacks, $500m yearly loss
Stakeholders in the justice and security sectors are pushing for legal reforms as Nigeria grapples with a 47 per cent surge in cyberattacks, averaging 4,388 incidents weekly and costing the economy an estimated $500 million yearly, according to the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi.
The AGF, who spoke during the yearly Cybercrimes Awareness Campaign and the second National Consultations on the Cybercrimes Legal Framework in Abuja, described cybercrime as a “national emergency.”
He cited recent data showing that Nigeria now ranks fifth globally in terms of cybercrime prevalence, based on figures from the first quarter of 2025.
The event, themed “Towards a Coordinated and Informed National Response to Cybercrime,” brought together lawmakers, justice sector leaders, law enforcement, civil society, and development partners.
They met to chart a coordinated national strategy to combat cybercrime and strengthen the country’s outdated digital laws.
According to the AGF, 60 per cent of cybercrime victims in Nigeria are under the age of 30, underscoring the urgency of digital literacy and youth-focused preventive education.
The AGF announced the drafting of two new bills to replace the 2015 Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, which he said, no longer reflects the scale and sophistication of today’s threats.
The proposed legislation, according to him, includes a bill on cybercrime and criminal justice reform, as well as another focused on cybersecurity governance and the protection of critical infrastructure.
High-level stakeholders in attendance included the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), the National Security Adviser, and representatives from law enforcement, the private sector, and international agencies.
The Attorney-General, represented by Gladis Odegbaro from the Office of the Solicitor-General, reiterated that Nigeria must take a proactive stance as cybercriminals weaponise Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital tools.
In her welcome address, the Solicitor-General, Beatrice Jeddy-Agba, hailed the gathering as a milestone in Nigeria’s battle against cybercrime.
She emphasised the need for robust legal reforms, public awareness campaigns, and seamless inter-agency cooperation to build a safer digital environment.
