Abstract
There is an exponential growth in cybercrime incidences and victimization in the African continent. This is perhaps the fall-out of the upsurge in the Internet usage population in Africa. Arguably, there is a correlation between the number of Internet users and the rates of cybercrime victimization in Africa. Despite the growing concerns about the spate of crime and deviance in the cyberspace, Africa as a continent has not been swift in responding to the burgeoning problem of crime and disorder in the cyberspace. Many African countries are yet to establish a comprehensive legislation on cybercrime, while only a few have signed the African Union Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection. This chapter interrogates the problem of cybercrime and its legislation in the African context. It discusses the problem of the digital divide and efforts made to bridge it. The factors that make Africans vulnerable to cyber victimizations as well as the cyber offenders’ practices in Africa are explored. Finally, the chapter examines the impediments to the effective establishment and enforcement of cybercrime legislations in Africa.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References
Adeya, N. (1996). Beyond borders: The Internet for Africa. Convergence, 2(2), 23–27.
African Union. (2014). African Union convention on cyber security and personal data protection. Retrieved 2 June 2019 from https://au.int/en/treaties/african-union-convention-cyber-security-and-personal-data-protection.
African Union. (2019). List of countries which have signed, ratified and acceded to African convention on cyber security and personal data protection. Retrieved from https://au.int/en/treaties/african-union-convention-cyber-security-and-personal-data-protection
Aikins, S. K. (2019). Determinants of digital divide in Africa and policy implications. International Journal of Public Administration in the Digital Age, 6(1), 64–79. https://doi.org/10.4018/UPADA.2019010104.
Airo-Farulla, G. (2001). Regulating the Internet; strategies for control. Media International Australia Incorporating Culture and Policy, 101, 5–7.
Antonescu, M., & Birau, R. (2015). Financial and non-financial implications of cybercrimes in emerging countries. Procedia Economics and Finance, 32, 618–621.
Astier, S. (2005). Ethical regulation of the Internet: The challenges of global governance. International Review of Administrative Sciences, 71(1), 133–150.
Bande, L. C. (2018). Legislating against cyber crime in Southern African Development community: Balancing international standards with country-specific specifications. International Journal of Cyber Criminology, 12(1), 9–26. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1467632.
Ben-Jacob, M. G. (2017). Internet ethics for users and providers. Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 46(2), 252–258. https://doi.org/10.1177/0047239517697967.
Black, J. (2001). Decentering regulation: Understanding the role of regulation and self-regulation in a “post-regulatory” world. Current Legal Problems, 54(1), 103–146.
Brenner, S. W. (2012). Cybercrime and the law: Challenges, issues, and outcomes. Boston: Northwestern University Press.
Burton, P. F. (1995). Regulation and control of the Internet: Is it feasible? Is it necessary? Journal of Information Science, 21(6), 413–428.
Carr, M. (2015). Power plays in global Internet governance. Millennium: Journal of International Studies, 43(2), 640–659. https://doi.org/10.1177/0305829814562655.
Cassim, F. (2011). Addressing the growing spectre of cybercrime in Africa: Evaluating measures adopted by South Africa and other regional role players. XLIV CILSA. Retrieved 20 Jan 2019 from https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/79170924.pdf
Chisala-Tempelhoff, S., & Kirya, M. T. (2016). Gender, law and revenge porn in Sub-Saharan Africa: A review of Malawi and Uganda. Palgrave Communications. Retrieved 4 June 2019 from https://www.nature.com/articles/palcomms201669
Cotterrell, R. (2015). The concept of crime and transnational networks of community. In V. Mitsilegas, P. Alldridge, & L. Cheliots (Eds.), Globalisation, criminal law and criminal justice: Theoretical, comparative and transnational perspectives (pp. 7–23). Oxford: Hart Publishing.
Goggin, G., & Griff, C. (2001). Regulating for content on the Internet: Meeting cultural and social objectives for broadband. Media International Australia Incorporating Culture and Policy, 101, 19–31.
Graham, M. (2011). Time machines and virtual portals: The spatialities of the digital divide. Progress in Development Studies, 11(3), 211–227.
Grobler, M. & Vuuren, J. J. V. (2010). Broadband broadens scope for cyber crime in Africa. In: Information Security for South Africa (ISSA) Conference. https://doi.org/10.1109/ISSA.2010.5588287.
Hakmeh, J. (2017). Cybercrime and the digital economy in the GCC countries. Retrieved 20 Jan 2019 from https://www.chathamhouse.org/publication/cybercrime-and-digital-economy-gcc-countries
Herrington, L., & Aldrich, R. (2013). The future of cyber-resilience in an age of global complexity. Politics, 33(4), 299–310. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9256.12035.
Heuser, A. (2016). Charting African prosperity gospel economies. HTS Theological Studies. Retrieved 3 June 2019 from www.scielo.org.za/pdf/hts/v72n4/103.pdf
Huey, L., Nhan, J., & Broll, R. (2012). ‘Uppity civilians’ and ‘cyber-vigilantes’: The role of the general public in policing cyber-crime. Criminology & Criminal Justice, 13(3), 81–97.
Infocyte Report. (2017). The threat of malware in Africa. Retrieved 4 June 2019 from https://infocyte.com/wp-content/uploads/security_brief-malware_in_africa.pdf
International Telecommunication Union. (2012). Understanding cybercrime: Phenomenon, challenges and legal response. Retrieved 14 Jan 2019 from www.itu.int/ITU-D/cyb/cybersecurity/docs/Cybercrime%20legislation%20EV6.pdf
Kigerl, A. (2012). Routine activity theory and the determinants of high cybercrime countries. Social Science Computer Review, 30(4), 470–486. https://doi.org/10.1117/0894439311422689.
Kshetri, N. (2019). Cybercrime and cybersecurity in Africa. Journal of Global Information Technology Management, 22(2), 77–81. https://doi.org/10.1080/1097198X.2019.1603527.
Leppanen, A., Kiravuo, T., & Kajantie, S. (2016). Policing the cyber-physical space. Police Journal: Theory, Practice and Principles, 89(4), 290–310. https://doi.org/10.1177/0032258X16647420.
Leukfeldt, E. R., & Yar, M. (2016). Applying routine activity theory to cybercrime: A theoretical and empirical analysis. Deviant Behaviour, 37(3), 263–289. https://doi.org/10.1080/01639625.2015.1012409.
Lindgren, S. (2018). A ghost in the machine: Tracing the role of ‘the digital’ in discursive processes of cybervictimization. Discourse & Communication, 12(5), 517–534. https://doi.org/10.1177/1750481318766936.
Losavio, M. M., Shutt, J. E., & Keeling, D. W. (2011). The information polity: Social and legal frameworks for critical cyber infrastructure protection. In T. Saadwal & L. Jordan (Eds.), Cyber infrastructure protection (pp. 129–158). Carlisle: The Strategic Study Institute.
Maillart, J.-B. (2018). The limits of subjective territorial jurisdiction in the context of cybercrime. ERA-Forum. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12027-018-0527-2.
Marcum, C. D. (2014). Cyber crime. New York: Wolters Kluwer law & Business.
Marshall, A. M., & Clarkson, A. C. (2008). Future crimes and detection methods in cyberspace. Measurement + Control, 41(8), 248–251.
McCabe, K. A., & Lee, M. D. (1997). Users’ perception of Internet regulation: An exploratory study. Social Science Computer Review, 15(3), 237–241.
McMurdie, C. (2016). The cybercrime landscape and our policing response. Journal of Cyber Policy, 1(1), 85–93. https://doi.org/10.1080/23738871.2016.1168607.
Mutula, S. M. (2003). Cyber café industry in Africa. Journal of Information Science, 29(6), 489–497.
Na, S. H., Hwang, J., & Kim, H. (2018). Digital content as a fast Internet diffusion factor: Focusing on the fixed broadband Internet. Information Development, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1177/026666918811878.
Ndubueze, P. N. (2016a). Cyber criminology and the quest for social order in Nigerian Cyberspace. The Nigerian Journal of Sociology and Anthropology, 14(1), 32–48.
Ndubueze, P. N. (2016b). Generation y and online victimization in Nigeria: How vulnerable are younger Internet users. In K. Jaishankar (Ed.), Interpersonal criminology: Revisiting interpersonal crimes and victimization (pp. 203–214). Boca Raton: CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group.
Ndubueze, P. N., Hussien, M. D., & Sarki, Z. M. (2017). Cyberstalking awareness among undergraduates in Federal University Dutse. Dutse Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 2(2), 244–272.
Nhan, J., & Bachmann, M. (2015). Developments in cyber criminology. In M. Maguire & D. Okada (Eds.), Critical issues in crime and justice: Thought, policy and practice (2nd ed., pp. 209–228). Los Angeles: Sage.
Nwokeoma, B. N., Ndubueze, P. N., & Igbo, E. U. M. (2017). Precursors of online advance fee fraud in South-East Nigeria. In P. N. Ndubueze (Ed.), Cyber criminology and technology-assisted crime control: A reader (pp. 195–218). Zaria: Ahmadu Bello University Press.
Obayan, A. O. I. (1995). Changing perspectives in the extended family system in Nigeria: Implications for family dynamics and counseling. Psychology Quarterly, 8(3), 253–257.
Punch Newspaper. (2018, February 3). More attacks on FG over social media monitoring. Retrieved 2 June 2019 from https://punchng.com/more-attacks-on-fg-over-social-media-monitoring/
Quarshie, H. O., & Martin-Odoom, A. (2012). Fighting cybercrime in Africa. Computer Science and Engineering, 2(6), 98–100. https://doi.org/10.5923/j.computer.20120206.03.
Ridings, C. M., Gefen, D., & Arinze, B. (2002). Some antecedents and effects of trust in virtual communities. Journal of Strategic Information Systems, 11, 271–298.
Rogers, E. M. (2001). The digital divide convergence. The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies, 7(4), 96–111.
Rowe, H., Raylor, W., & Brown, P. (2004). Staying legal: Self-regulation on the Internet. Business Information Review, 21(2), 117–124. https://doi.org/10.1177/0266382104044728.
Sarikakis, K., & Winter, L. (2017). Social media users’ legal consciousness about privacy. Social Media – Society, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1177/2056305117695325.
Schermer, B., & Wagemans, T. (2010). Freedom in the days of the Internet: Regulating, legislating and liberating the Internet while producing rights and unlocking potentials. European View, 9, 287–293. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12290-010-0149-8.
Smith, R. G. (2014). Transnational cybercrime and fraud. In P. Reichel & J. Albanese (Eds.), Handbook of transnational crime and justice (2nd ed., pp. 119–142). Los Angeles: Sage.
Sonaike, S. A. (2004). The Internet and the dilemma of Africa’s development. International Communication Gazette, 66(1), 41–61.
Tade, O. (2013). A spiritual dimension to cybercrime in Nigeria: The ‘Yahoo-Plus’ phenomenon. Human Affairs, 23, 689–705. https://doi.org/10.2478/s13374-013-0158-9.
Tade, O., & Adeniyi, O. (2016). On the limit of trust: Characterising automated teller machine fraud in Southwest Nigeria. Journal of Financial Crime, 23(4), 1112–1125.
Thatcher, A., & Mathews, M. (2012). Comparing software piracy in South Africa and Zambia using social cognitive theory. African Journal of Business Ethics, 6(1), 1–12.
The Council of Europe/Project Cybercrime@Octopus. (2016). The state of cybercrime legislation in Africa: An overview. Retrieved 4 Jan 2019 from: https://rm.coe.int/16806b8a7
The Internet World Stats. (2018). Internet Usage Statistics. Retrieved 20 Jan 2018 from https://www.Internetworldstats.com/stats.htm
The Nigeria Electronic Fraud Forum, Annual Report. (2016). A challenging payments ecosystem: The security challenge. Abuja: Central Bank of Nigeria.
The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. (2014). Policy Brief. Tackling the Challenge of Cyber Security in Africa. Retrieved 20 Jan 2019 from https://www.uneca.org/sites/default/files/PublicationFiles/ntis_policy_brief_1.pdf
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. (2019). Cybercrime Legislation Worldwide. Retrieved 4 Jan 2019 from https://unctad.org/en/Pages/DTL/STI_and_ICTs/ICT4D-Legislation/eCom-Cybercrime-Laws.aspx
Vanguard Newspaper. (2017, June, 15). Greed cause of cybercrime. Retrieved 3 June 2019 from https://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/06/greed-cause-cyber-crime-don/
Wagner, B. (2014). The politics of Internet filtering: The United Kingdom and Germany in a comparative perspective. Politics, 34(1), 58–71.
Wall, D. S., & Williams, M. L. (2013). Policing cybercrime: Networked and social media technologies and the challenges of policing. Policing and Society, 23(4), 403–412.
Wentworth, S. (2017). Internet multi-stakeholder governance. Journal of Cyber Policy, 2(3), 318–322.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2019 The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this entry
Cite this entry
Ndubueze, P.N. (2019). Cybercrime and Legislation in an African Context. In: The Palgrave Handbook of International Cybercrime and Cyberdeviance. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-90307-1_74-1
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-90307-1_74-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-90307-1
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-90307-1
eBook Packages: Springer Reference Law and CriminologyReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences