The five Western nations, the United States, United Kingdom, Finland, Norway, and Canada, have extended their congratulations to Nigeria and its people for marking 26 years of uninterrupted democratic governance.
In a joint statement issued on Thursday and reported by the News Agency of Nigeria, the nations praised Nigeria’s democratic resilience while emphasizing the importance of safeguarding civil liberties.
The statement was endorsed by U.S. Ambassador Richard Mills, British High Commissioner Richard Montgomery, Finland’s Ambassador Sanna Selin, Norwegian Ambassador Svein Baera, and Canadian High Commissioner Pasquale Salvaggio.
They commended Nigeria for upholding free expression, a core principle in any vibrant democracy, and reflected on President Bola Tinubu’s recent remarks highlighting the significance of embracing diverse viewpoints.
“Nigeria’s constitution enshrines the right to freedom of expression, aiming to protect its citizens’ rights and foster a society where people can debate and discuss ideas free from government control.
“This right, a principle of trusting ordinary citizens to discuss the virtual public square, remains vital today,” they said.
While acknowledging the milestone of 25 years of democratic rule celebrated earlier in 2024, the diplomats expressed concern over the Cybercrimes Act 2015, particularly the amended version passed in 2024, warning that the law, if misapplied, could undermine freedom of expression and weaken democratic structures.
“In 2022, the ECOWAS Court of Justice ruled that the Act is not in conformity with the country’s obligations related to freedom of expression under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
“The Act, which was originally intended to combat online fraud and cyberterrorism, can be misused as a tool to stifle free expression and undermine democratic engagement.
“This distortion of the law’s original intent can lead to citizens becoming hesitant to speak out, weakening democratic accountability and potentially fuelling distrust in government,” they said.
Despite these concerns, the envoys welcomed steps being taken by the Nigerian government, particularly the Minister of Information’s pledge to engage with the National Assembly and other stakeholders in reviewing the controversial legislation.
They highlighted that the need for reform was not only critical to protecting civil liberties, but also essential for Nigeria’s digital and economic future.
“The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) estimates that the country loses 500 million dollars per year to cybercrime. This problem requires a response.
“However, the Cybercrimes Act’s broad language, especially its vague definitions of ‘false information,’ ‘cyberstalking,’ ‘harassment,’ and ‘insult’ leave room for confusion and potential abuse.
“The Cybercrimes Act’s, if misapplied, even in a small number of cases, risks detracting the innovators and entrepreneurs the government wants to invest in Nigeria,” they further admonished.
The ambassadors urged lawmakers to revisit the Act with the aim of narrowing the scope of key terms such as “false information,” “insult,” “hatred,” “cyberstalking,” and “harassment,” to prevent potential misuse.
“As friends of Nigeria, who share the country’s strong commitment to democratic values, we want Nigeria to realise its potential as a democratic digital powerhouse.
“This will be a difficult balance to strike but is vital for delivering what Nigeria wants, a stable and open democracy, and economic growth underpinned by investment.
“Nigeria is not alone in facing this problem. Democracies across the world are grappling with the ever-evolving challenges and opportunities that the digital world presents,” the envoys added.
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