Nigeria plans three new cybersecurity bills by mid 2027

Nigeria is reviewing its cybersecurity laws as artificial intelligence makes fraud and digital attacks harder to detect, according to TechCabal. The reforms aim to tighten protection for banks and public services. The government is working on three parallel initiatives. The Cybercrimes Act was amended in February 2024. A policy review gathered lawmakers and industry players in Lagos. The National Cybersecurity Policy and Strategy is due for its five year review in 2026. A draft National Digital Economy and E Governance Bill completed a public hearing in November 2025. Adedeji Stanley Olajide spoke at the International Cybersecurity Conference in Abuja. He is the Chairman of the House Committee on ICT and Cybersecurity. He expects the cybercrime, cybersecurity and digital economy bills to be enacted between January and June 2027. The laws should curb cyberbullying, enforce stricter compliance in the financial sector and raise security standards. ## Rising Threats AI was linked to 55 percent of cybercrime incidents across Africa last year. Deepfake cases rose sevenfold in late 2024. Electronic payment fraud cost ₦25.85 billion in Nigeria in 2025. The Central Bank warned of AI driven vulnerabilities in September 2026. Recent breaches show systemic weakness. The INEC voter register experienced an issue involving records entering through authorised registration terminals. The CAC lost over 15 million corporate records. The Remita payment gateway exposed nearly three terabytes of data. Vincent Olatunji reported over 2,000 cyber attack attempts on the NDPC portal in a single week. Attackers rely on compromised credentials and AI enabled evasion rather than software flaws. West Africa lost over ₦1 billion to fraudulent transactions in the first half of 2026. Ransomware was present in 80 percent of Nigerian cases. ## Future Standards Legislators stress that reforms need enforcement, infrastructure upgrades and local technical expertise. The National Digital Cloud Policy offers tax waivers to attract private investment. It aims for $250 million in the next year. Success depends on building skilled engineers and reducing reliance on external vendors. The new bills should bring clearer accountability and mandatory breach disclosure.