An Assessment of Nigeria's Cyber Laws: Effectiveness, Gaps, and International Alignment

Ahmad Muhammad Tahir

Abstract: The digital economy has grown at a fast pace in Nigeria bringing about great social and economic value but also exposing people to cyber threats. This research will assess the suitability of the key cyber laws in Nigeria, namely the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015 (amended 2024) and the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA) 2023, to the requirements of the modern cyber threats, and how they fit into the global best practices frameworks (EU GDPR/NIS2, US sectoral strategies, the IT Act of India and the cyber regime in South Africa). The research uses a comparative legal-analysis methodology and targeted literature synthesis to conclude that the legislative system in Nigeria is conceptually consistent with global standards but operationally flawed: overlapping institutional mandates, limited forensic and prosecutorial capacity, inadequate mandatory breach-reporting requirements, and incomplete international cooperation mechanisms. The paper proposes prioritized, practical reforms to boost enforcement capacity, clarify agency roles, mandate incident reporting, and operationalize international evidence-sharing. The recommendations are intended to inform policymakers, regulators, and civil society engaged in Nigeria's digital governance reforms.

Keywords: Cyber law, NDPA, Cybercrimes Act, Nigeria, GDPR, Incident reporting, DFIR, Ransomware, IoT security

How to Cite?: Ahmad Muhammad Tahir, "An Assessment of Nigeria's Cyber Laws: Effectiveness, Gaps, and International Alignment", Volume 14 Issue 12, December 2025, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Pages: 925-929, https://www.ijsr.net/getabstract.php?paperid=SR251210000640, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR251210000640