The United States , United Kingdom, Canada, Finland and Norway yesterday advised the Federal Government not to misuse the Cybercrimes Act, but use it to protect free speech and economic growth.

The US Ambassador Richard Mills; British High Commissioner Richard Montgomery; Finlnish Ambassador Sanna Selin; Norwegian Ambassador Svein Baera;and Canadian High Commissioner Pasquale Salvaggio gave the advice in their congratulatory messages to mark Democracy Day. They praised Nigeria for sustaining democratic rule for 26 years.

According to them, democracies are sustained by important ingredients such as freedom of expression and liberty to hold varied opinions.

The envoys acknowledged that the Nigerian 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.

However, they called for the reform of the Cybercrimes Act 2015 (as amended) in 2024, and cautioned against the law’s negative impact on freedom of expression in the country.

According to them, misuse of the Cybercrimes Act could undermine democratic advancement, civic participation, jeopardise the confidence of investors and risk deterring the innovation needed for economic growth.

The ambassadors said:“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.”