Digital Deception: The Growing Menace of Cybercrime

Are you the real you?” was the question posed as a headline once featured in a newspaper. The headline addressed the growing concerns about the dangers of identity theft and identity fraud, which are but two types of cybercrimes. The anonymity of the internet, the gradual evolution of the country into a cashless society and the proliferation of information and communication technologies in everyday life have increased involvement in cybercrimes.

What is Cyber Crime?

The term cyber-crime is derived from two words: cyber (anything related to computers, the Internet, or virtual environments) and crime (a specific act committed or an act omitted in violation of the law).

At the Tenth United Nations Conference on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders, cyber-crime was defined in two ways:

In a narrow sense: “any illegal behaviour directed by means of electronic operations that target the security of computer systems and data processed by them.”

In a broader sense: “any illegal behaviour committed by means of, or in relation to, a computer system or network, including such crime as illegal possession and offering or distributing information by means of a computer system or network.”

Similarly, the European Commission (which oversees policy in this area within the EU) describes cyber-crime as “criminal acts that are committed online by using electronic communication networks and information systems.”

The European Commission stated further that cybercrime can be in different categories which includes crimes that are specific to the internet such as attacks against information systems which can come as phishing, forgery, illegal online content like child sexual abuse, incitement to racial hatred, incitement to terrorism, glorification of violence, xenophobia etc. Other examples include cyber piracy, cyber-squatting, cyber stalking, cyber theft, cyber plagiarism, etc.

The first published report of “cyber crime” dates back to the 1960s on the mainframe computer. The crime was committed by an insider as the computers were not connected to the internet, hence it was referred to as computer crime rather than cyber-crime.

Cyber-crime in Nigeria: Scale, Youth Involvement and Impact

Nigeria is top among the global worst-affected countries in terms of cybercrime sources and losses.

In 2024, Nigeria recorded 3,459 ransomware-threat detections, placing it 3rd in Africa behind Egypt (17,849) and South Africa (12,281), a statistic that underscores the country’s significant presence in the global cybercrime landscape. On the global mapping of cyber-offender sources, Nigeria ranks 5th in the world. This ranking is reflective of the pervasive nature of cybercrime in the country where the name “yahoo-yahoo boys” has become a household phrase, referring to young individuals involved in advanced fee fraud (AFF) schemes or other internet scams highlighting the need for sustained efforts to combat this menace.

The ripple-effects are wide:

societal values such as the dignity of labour and moral integrity are being eroded as youths shift their energies towards illicit earnings rather than honest work. The economy registers real losses: Nigerian banks reportedly lost billions of naira to electronic fraud and cyber-crime between 2000 and 2013. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) banking-sector supervision report revealed internet fraud losses in the banking sector of about N7.2 billion in one dataset.

In the 2024 / 2025 period, Nigeria’s losses to cybercrime were estimated at USD 500 million annually. In 2016, Nigeria was estimated to lose USD 430 million annually to cybercrime (about 0.8% of GDP at the time).

Another data point: Nigerian banks’ customers reportedly lose about ₦250 billion annually (≈ USD 600 million at current rates) to cybercrime; phone thefts and SIM-swap fraud highlighted. Foreign direct investment is hindered: potential investors worry about the security, trustworthiness and digital credibility of the Nigerian business environment. Some immigration departments in Europe and America have reportedly issued warnings to their citizens considering Nigeria for business.

Legal and Regulatory Responses in Nigeria

Nigeria’s government has responded with a range of legislation and enforcement tools. Key among them:

• The Advance Fee Fraud and Related Offences Act (2006) (affecting advanced fee fraud or “419” schemes)
• The Computer Misuse Act
• The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act (2004)
• The Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2012
• Various sections of the Criminal Code Act and the Penal Code Act dealing with obtaining property by false pretences and cheating
• Importantly, the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act 2015 (the “Cybercrimes Act”) which established a comprehensive legal, regulatory and institutional framework for cyber-crime in Nigeria.

The 2015 Cybercrimes Act created offences such as unlawful access, system interference, interception of electronic messages, computer-related forgery/fraud, identity theft and impersonation and many more. It also provides for duties of financial institutions (records, data protection, interception of electronic communications) and enforcement mechanisms (enforcement agencies, a Cybercrime Advisory Council, a National Cybersecurity Fund).

In February 2024, the Act was amended (via the Cybercrimes Amendment Act) to reflect emerging threats: broader scope of offences, expanded surveillance powers (e.g., interception in urgent cases) and longer data-retention for telecoms.

Conclusion

The domestic perpetration of cybercrime is now a recurrent phenomenon, the criminal act being perpetrated mostly by youths with disastrous effects on the country and its international image. The Government, in response, has applied and is applying legal measures to stop this ugly trend, yet the challenge remains dynamic and evolving. Youth involvement, the speed of digital transformation, global coordination of crime networks and the constant adaptation of fraud techniques all point to a need for sustained vigilance.

For the average Nigerian, this means being aware of cyber-risks, practising good cyber-hygiene (strong passwords, two-factor authentication, careful sharing of personal info), knowing how to report suspicious activity, and engaging with trusted digital service providers. For businesses and institutions, the imperative is even greater: robust cybersecurity frameworks, staff training, swift incident response, and compliance with the law.

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