Factors Contributing to Youth Involvement in Cybercrime in Nigeria

Abstract

The prevalence of internet-enabled crime among Nigerian youth is a topic widely discussed in the academia. With the introduction of computers into Nigeria in the 1990s came the proliferation of cybercrime, colloquially referred to as 'yahoo-yahoo'. As cybercrime largely became synonymous with Nigeria in international circles, it was necessary to enact a specific legislation to address the menace, hence the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention Etc) Act 2015 (as amended). The aim of this study was to examine the factors contributing to youth involvement in cybercrime in Nigeria. The main objective was to contribute to existing literature on the subject by examining it through the lens of the Fraud Triangle theory, which posits that the conditions responsible for fraud can be divided into three elements: pressure, opportunity, and rationalisation. This study adopted the doctrinal research methodology, which is the analysis of primary and secondary sources. The primary sources applicable to this research include the Cybercrime Act, the Criminal Code, the Evidence Act 2011 (as amended), the Budapest Convention 2001, and the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime 2024. The applicable secondary sources include but are not limited to numerous articles across various fields, found in online repositories such as Google Scholar, Academia.edu, and Social Science Research Network (SSRN). This study found that the causes of youth involvement in cybercrime include, inter alia: financial pressure, peer pressure, parental pressure, societal pressure, and inefficacy of legal frameworks. The paper, in its conclusion, recommended a revision of the Cybercrime Act, the adequate equipment of a specified law enforcement agency to fight cybercrime, the decentralisation of cybercrime legislation, as well as collaboration between stakeholders and the government at all levels to organise sensitisation programs, ensure the efficacy of cybercrime legislation, and provide employment opportunities.

Keywords: Cybercrime, Cybercrime act, Fraud triangle theory, Youth