Developing an Original Framework for Cybercrime Harm Measurement and Victimology in Nigeria

Cybercrime harm measurement in Nigeria relies on fragmented data sources and inadequate conceptual frameworks, limiting policy decisions, resource allocation, and victim support design. Developing an original framework for measuring cybercrime harm and understanding victimology in the Nigerian context represents a significant contribution to both criminology and cybersecurity science. This study developed an original Cybercrime Harm Measurement and Victimology Framework for Nigeria. A theory-building and empirical methodology was employed: systematic review of cybercrime harm measurement literature (65 publications from 2018 to 2024), empirical victimisation survey with 600 adults across six geopolitical zones using a validated cybercrime victimisation instrument, secondary analysis of EFCC and CBN incident data, and expert validation with 20 cybercrime specialists. The systematic review confirmed that no existing harm measurement framework addressed the dominance of social engineering-based financial cybercrime, psychological harm dimensions specific to Nigerian cultural contexts (shame, family honour consequences), and informal economy loss dimensions not captured by formal financial reports. The original NCHM Framework proposes a multi-dimensional harm taxonomy: primary financial harm, secondary financial harm (indirect economic losses), psychological harm, reputational harm, systemic harm (impact on digital economy trust), and displacement harm (avoidance of digital services). Original victimological contributions include a Nigerian Cybercrime Victim Vulnerability Typology and a Resilience-Recovery Model for Nigerian cybercrime victims. Expert review confirmed the framework's original theoretical and empirical contributions to Nigerian cybercrime science.

Keywords: cybercrime harm measurement, victimology, Nigeria, EFCC, cybercrime policy