ABSTRACT
The invention of advanced information technology has added business and communication in modern times through the use of computers and mobile phones with access to the internet. However, these advances in technology have caused incalculable harm as it has increased the rate of crime, expanded the scope of criminal activities and created a new category of crimes known as cybercrimes.
In developing economics such as Nigeria, the use and reliance on computers and the internet resources in the economic, educational and social sector has increased tremendously and rapidly over the last two decades. The speed at which computers and internets aid these activities creates room for the perpetration of crimes such as fraud, theft, phishing and cyber-stalking, among other crimes. In fact, despite being a third world country, Nigerians has a penchant for using the cyber space for illegal purposes rather than the legal ones, hence, about 127 billion naira is estimated to have been lost to cybercrime in Nigeria in one year alone. It is also surprising that Nigeria ranks third in the global internet crime behind United Kingdom and United States.
The Cybercrime Act 2015, was thus enacted in response to the spike in such crimes. This study examined the nature, categories, type of cybercrime and the effectiveness of the Cybercrimes Act, in deterring and reducing the incident of cybercrime in Nigeria. A holistic analysis as regards the constraints on the implementation of the act was undertaken; this was done by a comparative analysis of other jurisdictions and their penal laws in curbing cybercrime. The writer was of the view that factors like social and political particular to Nigeria, affects the effective implementation of the cybercrime Act, thus curbing these social particular to Nigeria, affects the effective implementation of the Cybercrime Act, thus curbing these social vices will mean an effective implantation of the Cybercrime Act 2015.
