The United States, United Kingdom, Finland, Norway, and Canadian envoys to Nigeria have extended their congratulations to the West African nation on marking 26 years of uninterrupted democratic governance while urging reforms to the country's Cybercrime Act.

In a joint statement signed by U.S. Ambassador Richard Mills, British High Commissioner Richard Montgomery, Finnish Ambassador Sanna Selin, Norwegian Ambassador Svein Baera, and Canadian High Commissioner Pasquale Salvaggio, the diplomats emphasized the importance of free expression as a core value of Nigeria's democracy.

The envoys recalled President Bola Tinubu's statement during last year's Democracy Day celebration, where he underlined that in Nigeria "there must be diverse perspectives and viewpoints."

Concerns Over Cybercrime Legislation

While acknowledging Nigeria's constitutional protection of free expression, the diplomats expressed concern about the Cybercrimes Act 2015, as amended in 2024, warning that its misuse could undermine democratic advancement and economic growth.

"In 2022, the ECOWAS Court of Justice ruled that the Act is not in conformity with the country's obligations related to freedom of expression under the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights," the statement noted.

The envoys pointed out that the Act, originally intended to combat online fraud and cyberterrorism, contains vague definitions of terms like "false information," "cyberstalking," "harassment," and "insult" that leave room for potential abuse and could stifle free expression.

Economic Implications

According to the diplomats, the implications of the Act extend beyond free speech to Nigeria's economic future. While acknowledging that Nigeria loses an estimated $500 million annually to cybercrime, they cautioned that overly broad legislation could deter innovation and investment.

"The Cybercrimes Act, if misapplied, even in a small number of cases, risks detracting the innovators and entrepreneurs the government wants to invest in Nigeria," they warned.

The ambassadors welcomed the Minister of Information's commitment to collaborate with the National Assembly and relevant stakeholders toward reviewing the Act to better align with Nigeria's constitutional values.

Call for Specific Reforms

The envoys specifically urged Nigerian lawmakers to consider reforming the Cybercrimes Act by narrowing the definitions of key terms such as "false information," "cyberstalking," "insult," "hatred," and "harassment."

"As friends of Nigeria, who share the country's strong commitment to democratic values, we want Nigeria to realise its potential as a democratic digital powerhouse," they stated, acknowledging that democracies worldwide are grappling with similar challenges in the digital age.

Meanwhile, in a related development, President Tinubu reportedly canceled the traditional national broadcast to Nigerians on Democracy Day this year.

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