In the buzzing streets of Lagos, in the cramped Internet cafés of Ikeja and the mobile chats in Ajegunle, most Nigerians carry at their fingertips a world of connection, commerce and convenience. Yet alongside that promise comes a shadow world—one packed with digital traps, unseen risks and rights we seldom talk about. It matters because whether you are scrolling WhatsApp, trading goods on Instagram, or simply sharing a selfie, your digital life is real, your data is valuable—and without understanding your rights under the law, you are exposed.
Take the case of the law known as the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, which came into force on 15 May 2015. Its purpose, in simple terms, was to stop people from accessing computers they should not, messing with data, attacking online systems, or using the internet to threaten, defraud or stalk others. Beyond that, it sought to protect what the law calls “critical national information infrastructure”—which means the big networks we all depend on. But laws do not work just by being written—they demand public understanding.
A common scenario: you get a message from a number you do not know, offering a “too good to be true” investment. You click a link, download an app, fill in your details—and suddenly you are told your account has been compromised, your online identity has been sold, or your bank account drained. Under the Cybercrimes Act, doing any of those things—gaining access without authorisation, tampering with data, intercepting someone else’s communication—can attract criminal penalties.
On the flipside, you as an ordinary Nigerian also have rights over how your data is collected, used and processed. The Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023 (NDP Act) spells that out: if a company is collecting your personal information—your name, your BVN, your email, your phone number, your image—they must do so lawfully, transparently, for legitimate reasons. This means you have the right to be told what data is being collected, why, who will see it, and you even have rights of correction, cancellation and erasure in certain cases.
It helps to see a real-life example. In August 2024, the Nigeria Data Protection Commission, NDPC, fined a Nigerian bank a sum of ₦555.8 million for processing personal data without proper informed consent when opening an account. This tells you that the law is no longer just words—it is being enforced. If a big bank handling millions of customers can be held to account, then so can other organisations.
What does all this mean for you—whether you are someone living in the Surulere area, a small business owner in Alimosho, or a young graduate in Yaba using ride-hailing apps? First, be alert about what you share and with whom. Before you download an app ask: does it require your contacts, camera, microphone or BVN to function? If yes, do you know why? If you do not need to grant those permissions for the service you intended, pause. Second, review the terms of service: what does the platform say it will do with your data? You have the right to withdraw consent in certain cases. Third, if you are approached with messages that are threatening, demanding or abusive—such as obscene text messages, WhatsApp threats, or unseen people demanding payment because they have your image—know that under Section 24 of the Cybercrimes Act, sending “menacing electronic messages” or messages intended to cause “annoyance, inconvenience, danger” is an offence.
Finally, your phone and your data are not just personal: they are legal territory. Know that accessing an app blindly can expose you to fraud; giving out your BVN or personal records can lead to identity theft; operating a platform without proper safeguards can land you in regulatory trouble.
If you run a business in Lagos—say you have an e-commerce outfit in Ikeja or you provide services via a mobile platform—you must take your data responsibilities seriously. The NDP Act places duties on anyone who controls or processes personal data: you must collect it for specified, legitimate reasons; you must keep it secure; you must not share it indiscriminately. If your platform suffers a data breach, you must report it to the NDPC within 72 hours. Companies that fail to obey can face fines of up to 2% of their annual gross revenue or ₦10 million (whichever is higher) for those designated “of major importance”. For others, the standard maximum fine is 2% of revenue or ₦2 million.
Some caution is needed: while the laws are strong, there have been concerns that the Cybercrimes Act may be used to suppress free expression—journalists, bloggers and citizens have reported arrests under provisions meant for cyber-stalking but applied to criticism and commentary. This means you must also be aware of how rights and risks overlap: you are not only a data subject or user, you are also a citizen with freedom of speech and other rights protected under the Constitution.
Finally, your phone and your data are not just personal: they are legal territory. Know that accessing an app blindly can expose you to fraud; giving out your BVN or personal records can lead to identity theft; operating a platform without proper safeguards can land you in regulatory trouble. But equally, you have rights: the right to refuse overly intrusive access, the right to demand transparency, the right to protect your image, your data and your communication. Walk the digital space not as a passive user, but as a citizen who knows that the law is not on automatic—it activates when you demand it.
Nigeria is changing under our feet—our phones, our chats, our data—all part of that change. Do not treat your digital life as an afterthought. Ask questions, question platforms, keep your devices secure, guard your privacy. When the law speaks, your silence must not mean consent. In the evolving digital age, forget not: you are not just a user, you are a rights-bearer. Stand firm.
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