The Federal Government is developing a draft executive bill to strengthen Nigeria’s legal framework for tackling emerging cyber threats, including artificial intelligence (AI) driven fraud, digital surveillance and attacks on critical national infrastructure.
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, disclosed this in a message delivered on his behalf by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, at the second International Cybersecurity Conference in Abuja on Tuesday.
Fagbemi said the Federal Ministry of Justice had advanced work on the proposed legislation to ensure that Nigeria’s cybercrime laws respond to rapid technological changes and the increasingly sophisticated methods used by cybercriminals.
He said the bill would seek to improve the preservation and exchange of electronic evidence, strengthen investigations and prosecutions, and promote cooperation among law enforcement agencies.
According to the minister, cybercrime has expanded beyond conventional internet fraud to include cryptocurrency related offences, sextortion, child exploitation and AI assisted deception, creating risks for financial systems, national security, personal dignity and public trust.
“Our objective is clear: laws that respond to emerging technologies, facilitate the preservation and exchange of electronic evidence, support effective investigation and prosecution, and uphold human rights and the rule of law,” Fagbemi said.
He cautioned that efforts to strengthen enforcement must respect fundamental freedoms, adding that security measures should protect citizens rather than undermine their rights.
The proposed legislation builds on Nigeria’s engagement with international cybersecurity frameworks, including the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime and the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime.
The Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, said the agency was working with the Office of the National Security Adviser and the National Assembly to review the existing Cybercrimes Act.
Abdullahi said the government was also considering a national cybersecurity architecture that would establish minimum protection standards for organisations.
He warned that cybercriminals were increasingly targeting human vulnerabilities through AI generated voices, videos and images, rather than relying solely on attacks against computer systems.
The NITDA chief distinguished cybersecurity, which focuses on preventing attacks, from cyber resilience, which concerns an organisation’s ability to withstand, recover from and adapt to cyber incidents.
He called for greater collaboration among government agencies, regulators, security institutions and private sector organisations to improve the protection of Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.
The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Aminu Maida, warned that AI powered cyberattacks could disrupt telecommunications, financial services and government operations.
Represented by the commission’s Executive Commissioner for Technical Services, Sunday Oshadami, Maida said criminals were deploying automated attacks, deepfakes and increasingly sophisticated malware.
He said the commission had established a Computer Security Incident Response Team and introduced a cyber resilience framework outlining security standards for licensed telecommunications operators.
Maida urged operators to strengthen their defences, continuously test AI systems for vulnerabilities and adopt security measures capable of responding to evolving threats.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on ICT and Cybersecurity, Shuaib Salisu, proposed developing a national cyber resilience index to assess organisations’ preparedness and identify gaps in their security systems.
He also called for a joint retreat involving ministries, regulators, security agencies and lawmakers to improve coordination and establish shared priorities.
The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on ICT and Cybersecurity, Stanley Adedeji Olajide, said existing legislation needed to keep pace with technological developments and called for stronger international cooperation.
The conference, organised by NITDA and the Nigerian Communications Commission, was themed “Cyber Resilience in the Age of AI: Defending Minds, Networks and Nations.”
The proposed bill is part of the government’s wider effort to update Nigeria’s cybercrime framework. Its final provisions and legislative timetable have not yet been announced.
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