The Federal Government is drafting a new executive bill to tackle emerging cyber threats. The Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, disclosed this at the second International Cybersecurity Conference in Abuja. He spoke through the Director of Public Prosecutions, Rotimi Oyedepo. The conference was held on Tuesday and Wednesday. Its theme was “Cyber Resilience in the Age of AI: Defending Minds, Networks and Nations.”
Nigeria signed the Cybercrimes Act in 2015 and amended it in 2024. It was drafted before deepfakes, large language models, and automated fraud existed at scale. The Nigeria Data Protection Act followed in 2023. Enforcement has lagged. In 2024, the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System reported a surge in phishing and SIM-swap fraud. In 2025, several banks reported breaches. Regulators have acknowledged the law is behind the technology.
Fagbemi said the Ministry of Justice has advanced work on the draft bill. “Our objective is clear,” he said. “We support 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.” He warned against using security as an excuse to erode liberty.
The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency, Kashifu Inuwa, drew a distinction. Cybersecurity prevents attacks. Cyber resilience recovers from them. “Hackers focus more on hacking people than systems,” he said. “It is easier to hack people to get what you want than hacking the system itself.” He said NITDA is working with the Office of the National Security Adviser and the National Assembly to review the Cybercrimes Act.
Senator Shuiabu Salisu, who chairs the Senate Committee on ICT and Cybersecurity, proposed a national cyber resilience index. It would measure organisations’ preparedness. He called for a retreat involving ministries, regulators and security institutions.
The National Commissioner of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission, Vincent Olatunji, gave the sharpest figures. AI-enabled data breaches cost an average of $6 million. That is $1 million above the global average. One in four malicious breaches was AI-enabled. That is a 56 per cent year-on-year increase. Forty-three per cent of breaches involved unapproved or unsecured AI tools. “Trust should be embedded in the design and deployment of AI systems,” he said, “rather than treated as an afterthought.” More than 700 participants from about 200 organisations attended.
Winners: The Ministry of Justice, which shows initiative. NITDA, which gains a policy role. The NDPC, which gains visibility. Cybersecurity firms, which gain a market. Citizens, if the law protects them. Losers: Cybercriminals, who face a tougher framework. Organisations using unapproved AI tools, who face scrutiny. The current Cybercrimes Act, which faces replacement. Firms that cannot afford compliance, which face risk.
Bottom Line: The law is behind the technology. The government knows it. A draft bill is coming. The figures are stark. AI breaches cost $6 million. A quarter of malicious breaches use AI. The bill must catch up. Speed matters.