Cyber Diplomacy and Nigeria’s Emerging International Cybersecurity Posture

This study investigates Nigeria's evolving engagement with international cybersecurity governance, examining how the country has sought to develop a coherent cyber diplomacy posture in the face of growing domestic cyber threats and expanding multilateral frameworks for cyberspace governance. Nigeria faces significant cybersecurity challenges, ranging from financial cybercrime to state-level vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure, and has participated in international forums on cyber norms under the United Nations Group of Governmental Experts. Drawing on emerging frameworks for cyber diplomacy and digital sovereignty, this research analyses Nigeria's participation in key international cybersecurity initiatives from 2020 to 2024, including its ratification status regarding the Budapest Convention and its engagement with the African Union's Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection. The study employs a qualitative methodology, relying on policy document analysis, expert interviews with officials at the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), and secondary literature. The research examines the coherence between Nigeria's domestic cybercrime governance, led by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and its international diplomatic positioning on cyber norms. Findings are expected to reveal a fragmented cyber diplomacy posture driven more by reactive domestic pressures than proactive international engagement. Recommendations address institutional coordination and capacity-building needs. Keywords: cyber diplomacy, cybersecurity, Nigeria, digital sovereignty, cyber norms.