A Theoretical Investigation of the Governance Mechanisms for Cybersecurity in Nigeria’s Digital Economy Transition

Nigeria's transition to a digital economy creates unprecedented governance challenges at the intersection of cybersecurity policy, regulatory capacity, market structure, and geopolitical positioning, and developing original theoretical understanding of the governance mechanisms needed for this transition represents a significant scholarly contribution. This study conducted an original theoretical investigation into cybersecurity governance mechanisms appropriate for Nigeria's digital economy transition, drawing on political economy theory, institutional theory, and cybersecurity governance scholarship. A constructive theoretical methodology was employed, combining systematic review of 85 cybersecurity governance publications from 2018 to 2024, institutional analysis of Nigeria's existing cybersecurity governance architecture through documentary analysis and structured interviews with 35 government officials, regulators, industry leaders, and civil society representatives across five geopolitical zones, and expert validation. The institutional analysis revealed three structural governance deficits: regulatory fragmentation creating compliance gaps and arbitrage opportunities, inadequate technical capacity in regulatory agencies limiting enforcement credibility, and absent formal mechanisms for private sector knowledge input into national cybersecurity policy. The original Nigerian Digital Economy Cybersecurity Governance Framework proposes a three-tier governance architecture: strategic national governance (NSA and NSIB), operational sectoral governance (sector-specific regulators with minimum standards), and ecosystem enablement governance (NITDA, academia, and civil society capacity building). Theoretical contributions include the Governance Adequacy-Trust Cycle model explaining how governance quality determines private sector security investment decisions. Expert review confirmed original theoretical contribution.

Keywords: cybersecurity governance, digital economy, Nigeria, institutional theory, original framework