Shrinking Civic Space: How Nigeria’s New Cybercrime Law Threatens Civil Liberties
By Umar Musa,
In any democracy, the protection of civil liberties forms the lifeblood of citizen participation and accountability. Yet in recent times, Nigeria has witnessed a steady erosion of these freedoms, with government policies and actions increasingly undermining the very principles they claim to uphold.
Civil society organizations, long recognized as partners in governance for their advocacy in transparency, rule of law, and accountability, have come under heightened pressure. Rather than being supported in their role as watchdogs and mediators between the state and the people, they face intimidation, restrictive regulations, and deliberate attempts to curtail their activities. The government’s tightening grip on civic space has become evident through new taxes, unlawful arrests, clampdowns on peaceful assemblies, and an ever-growing list of repressive laws.
The latest and most alarming of these is the Cybercrime Law of 2025. Far from protecting citizens, it appears designed to shield an entrenched political elite. The law criminalizes acts as benign as keeping personal records of phone conversations for professional or security purposes. Even more troubling is its broad framing of dissent: provisions equating intellectual freedom and criticism of government with “domestic terrorism.” Such measures do not only stifle free expression but also create a chilling effect where citizens are too fearful to hold leaders accountable.
These developments come at a critical moment. Nigeria is grappling with a governance crisis, widespread insecurity, and an economy in free fall. Ordinary citizens struggle daily with inflation, unemployment, and dwindling purchasing power, yet instead of offering relief, the state doubles down with protectionist laws that serve only to insulate the ruling class from scrutiny.
The cumulative effect of these actions is an increasingly fragile democracy, where trust in institutions is rapidly eroding. Shrinking the civic space undermines public dialogue, deepens inequality, and fuels resentment across the country’s geo-political divides. At its core, this trajectory risks pushing Nigeria further away from the ideals of inclusive governance and sustainable development.
It is against this backdrop that academics, activists, and ordinary Nigerians are raising their voices. Among them is Umar Musa, a scholar at a federal university, who has called on the President to reject the Cybercrime Law in its current form and initiate a review that prioritizes citizen rights over elite protectionism. “The essence of democracy,” he argues, “lies not in silencing the people but in amplifying their voices for the collective good.”
Nigeria stands at a crossroads. The choice before its leaders is stark: either continue down the path of authoritarian control or recommit to democratic ideals by safeguarding civil liberties, respecting freedom of expression, and working with civil society to address the nation’s challenges. The survival of Nigeria’s democracy depends on the path chosen today.
Umar Musa writes from Kano
