Image depicting cybercrime. Source: Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre
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Claim: Some Facebook users, here, here, and here, claimed the National Assembly, under Senate President Godswill Akpabio, has passed a new Cybercrimes Act 2025 into law.
Verdict: Misleading. DUBAWA’s findings show that the Senate is in recess and has not passed such a law.
Full Text
The Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) (Amendment) Act 2024 was introduced to strengthen Nigeria’s response to online crimes, including fraud, identity theft, and cyberbullying.
However, the Act has generated significant controversy. Civil society organisations and human rights advocates argue that some of its provisions are vague and could be weaponised to suppress free speech, activism, and journalism. The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has challenged the law at the ECOWAS Court, while the National Human Rights Commission and international observers have called for its review. In response, the Federal Government promised to engage stakeholders in further consultations.
Amid these debates, several Facebook posts, here, here, and here, began circulating in August 2025, claiming that the new Cybercrimes Act 2025 had already been passed into law. One widely shared post read: “BREAKING: The new Cybercrimes Act 2025 has officially been passed into law by the National Assembly under Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
This means that every provision in the Cybercrimes Act (Including Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) is now fully binding and enforceable across Nigeria. If you’re an online user, content creator, or admin of any digital platform (WhatsApp, Facebook, Telegram, etc.), you must know what this law says, because ignorance will not be an excuse.”
Some people who commented on the post expressed strong concerns about the law. James Smith said, “These laws won’t hold water. Politicians are the biggest lawbreakers. Without respect for the rule of law, justice cannot thrive.” Thank God, Chima added, “This is just another way to silence investigative journalists and stop them from exposing wrongdoing.” For Tony Grey, “This is very important,” while Jeremiah Odimayo Gbenga remarked, “Hmm! At this rate, Nigeria’s correctional centres will be filled up.”
Because the Cybercrime Act has been criticised for threatening press freedom and civil liberties, false information about new versions being passed into law could cause unnecessary fear among citizens, journalists, and activists. DUBAWA, therefore, decided to verify the claim.
Verification
Checks by DUBAWA revealed that the Nigerian Senate has been on its annual recess since late July 2025 and is scheduled to reconvene on Sept. 23, 2025. This makes it impossible for a new Cybercrimes Act 2025 to have been passed during this period.
Furthermore, a bill does not become law in Nigeria simply because the National Assembly passes it. It must receive Presidential assent to take effect.
When does a Bill become an Act in Nigeria?
For a bill to become an Act of Parliament, it must go through the following stages:
1. Proposal stage – Identification of the need for a bill.
2. First Reading – Formal introduction without debate.
3. Second Reading – General debate on the principles of the bill.
4. Committee Stage – Detailed scrutiny, often including public hearings.
5. Third Reading – Final consideration and vote.
6. Transmission – Passage by both chambers (Senate and House of Representatives).
7. Presidential Assent—The President must sign the bill into law within 30 days of transmission, according to Section 58(4) of the Constitution.
According to the process above, no new Cybercrimes Act 2025 has been passed or signed into law.
The last amendment was the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) (Amendment) Act 2024, signed by President Bola Tinubu on 28 February 2024. While discussions began in May 2025 about a possible review, no new Act has emerged.
Conclusion
The claim that the Cybercrimes Act 2025 has been passed into law is misleading. The National Assembly is currently in recess, and no such Act exists. The only current version is the Cybercrime (Amendment) Act 2024, which remains under review following widespread criticism.
