The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on President Bola Tinubu to direct the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to withdraw the cybersecurity levy on Nigerians citing violations of the Nigerian Constitution and international human rights obligations.
In a statement signed by SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organization demanded the Tinubu administration to withdraw the arbitrary and unlawful CBN directive imposing the cybersecurity levy within 48 hours. Additionally, SERAP urged President Tinubu to halt Nuhu Ribadu and the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) from implementing repressive provisions of the Cybercrimes Act 2024.
The group called on the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), to prepare and present a bill to amend repressive provisions of the Cybercrimes Act 2024 to the National Assembly, aligning them with the Nigerian Constitution and international human rights obligations.
SERAP emphasized the unlawfulness of Section 44(8), which criminalizes non-payment of the cybersecurity levy, and threatened legal action if the administration fails to comply within 48 hours. The organization stressed the need to repeal repressive provisions of the Cybercrimes Act 2024, citing inconsistency with constitutional duties and public trust.
The statement reiterated President Tinubu’s constitutional obligation to uphold the rule of law and the Constitution, emphasizing the primary purpose of government to ensure the security and welfare of the people.
The CBN’s directive to implement a 0.5% cybersecurity levy on electronic transfers, based on Section 44(2)(a) of the Cybercrimes Act 2024, was also highlighted. SERAP underscored the need for withdrawal of the directive, pointing out its equivalency to a half-percent levy on electronic transactions, which would be remitted to the National Cybersecurity Fund (NCF) administered by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
