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Nigerian political figure and the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2023 election, Omoyele Sowore, has voiced his strong opposition to the new 0.5% Cybersecurity Levy recently activated by the federal government.
This levy, which is part of the Cyber security (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act 2024, imposes a charge of 0.5% on all transaction values as a means to fund cybersecurity initiatives.
The implementation of the Cybersecurity Levy was officially directed by the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), following a circular from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
The fee is to be charged as a debit to the initiator of the electronic transfer, rather than the receiver.
Sowore, a prominent figure in the Nigerian political landscape, criticized the levy on his X platform, arguing that the government is using the Cybercrimes Prohibition Act of 2015 to “rob Nigerians.”
He further claimed that the Nigerian Police Force is using the old Cybercrimes Prohibition Act to “cage journalists.”
In a recent incident, Sowore visited the Cybercrime Unit of the Nigerian Police Force to secure the release of a journalist, Daniel Ojukwu.
He alleged that the police were not aware of the amendment to the Cybercrimes Prohibition Act, which was supposedly signed into law in February 2024.
According to Sowore, this amendment should have prevented Ojukwu’s arrest.
The controversy surrounding the Cybersecurity Levy has sparked debate within Nigeria, with Sowore using the hashtag #RevolutionNow to rally support against what he perceives as government overreach and misuse of legislative power.
As the Nigerian government moves forward with its cybersecurity initiatives, the opposition voiced by figures like Omoyele Sowore serves as a reminder of the importance of transparency and accountability in government actions.
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