Cybersecurity and Civil Liberties in Nigeria: A Political Evaluation of the Digital Rights and Freedoms Bill
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64321/jcr.v3i4.01Keywords:
Cybersecurity, Civil Liberties, Digital Rights, Legislative Evaluation, E-Governance.Abstract
The global system current is defined by rapid digital transformation, the intersection between cybersecurity and civil liberties, which is the focal point of national and global political discourse. As Nigeria, a country in the Global South, expands into the digital economy, balancing its national security with the protection of fundamental rights is complex. The Digital Rights and Freedoms Bill (DRFB) is a legislative initiative aimed at protecting the rights of citizens within Nigeria’s digital ecosystem. So, the study examines the DRFB, a legislative response to the growing threats to online privacy, freedom of expression, anonymity, and the right to digital participation, where surveillance, data breaches, internet shutdowns, and repressive cyber laws have raised democratic concerns. The DRFB is expected to redefine the digital governance within the Nigeria system. The central objective of this study is to politically evaluate the Digital Rights and Freedoms Bill to uphold cybersecurity and safeguard civil liberties in Nigeria. Using qualitative, thematic content analysis of the core provisions of the DRFB, which was supported by an interpretivist framework to contextualise the Bill within Nigeria’s political and legal systems. Academic literature, legal documents, and policy frameworks for robust analysis within the system. Findings reveal that while the DRFB introduces protections for the civil liberties of the citizenry and the government for governance purposes in areas such as digital privacy, freedom of information, e-governance, and ICT development, it faces challenges in legal harmonisation, institutional readiness, and political will from the political class in the country. Moreover, there is a lack of clarity in reconciling the bill with contradictory legislation within the country. The DRFB is a transformative bill within the Nigerian socio-political system; however, it requires refinement, robust implementation mechanisms, and cross-sectoral collaboration to actualise its promises within the socio-political system of Nigeria.
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