ABSTRACT
In recent years new technologies have been continuously emerging and some of these have been deployed to facilitate efficient electronic commercial transactions. The development of electronic commerce signifies that businesses increasingly rely on the Internet to conduct their transactions. Undoubtedly, the computer provides a useful digital platform for sellers and buyers. A lot of buying and selling and other commercial activities are being carried out on the internet between parties from different parts of the world who may never have had one on one contact with each other in their lifetime. The ease with which businesses are conducted over the internet cannot be overemphasized just with a click of a button a contract can be formed online without the parties having knowledge of their contractual capacity.
However, despite these ease and benefits surrounding Electronic commerce, Electronic commerce has also brought with it a number of legal and Socio-legal issues especially in the developing nations such as Nigeria. These legal and socio-legal issues have posed serious challenges to the legal regime of Electronic commerce in Nigeria and the world at large.
This work is carried out to examine the legal and Socio-legal issues surrounding electronic commerce in Nigeria and how they have affected electronic commerce and the ways in which they can best be resolved using some common law principles on contract and the little laws in Nigeria on electronic transactions.
In addition to this, an appraisal of the legal framework regulating electronic commerce under international law and in the United Kingdom, United State of America and Ghana will be carried out, so as to possibly, illuminate and enlighten the legislature and other law making bodies in the country on the best path in making laws for this nascent area of law.
