Nigeria has reportedly invested $40 million in intercept technology and an additional $583 million in public surveillance systems, according to a new report by civil society organization Spaces for Change (S4C).
These technologies, which allow for legally sanctioned monitoring of private communications such as telephone calls and emails, aim to bolster national security, aid criminal investigations, and prevent criminal activity.
Speaking at the West Africa Civil Society Week in Abuja, S4C’s executive director, Victoria Ibezim-Ohaeri, noted the scale of investment. “The Nigerian government has allocated approximately $40 million for intercept technologies and an estimated $583 million on public surveillance projects with Chinese tech firms,” she stated.
The event, organized in collaboration with Civic Space Resource Hub, West Africa Civil Society Institute, and the Ford Foundation, was themed “Leveraging Technology for Civic Engagement and Social Change in West Africa.”
Ibezim-Ohaeri raised concerns that the government’s spending on surveillance is diverting crucial resources from essential public services, including education and healthcare, highlighting the possible impact on citizens’ welfare and human rights.
She added that lawful interception (LI) allows law enforcement authorities, with judicial authorization, to monitor private communications by tapping the target’s phone, enabling intelligence agencies to gather information on potential criminal activities.
According to Ibezim-Ohaeri, S4C’s report reveals that Nigeria’s history of surveillance dates back to colonial rule, where practices were designed to control and monitor dissent.
“Colonial authorities established a framework for surveillance that persists today, where security agencies continue to repress dissent and monitor civic actors,” she explained.
The report further detailed how state surveillance grew significantly under military regimes, with laws that curtailed press freedom and targeted journalists and political activists.
The escalation of surveillance, she noted, has been mirrored by developments globally, with the U.S. expanding surveillance following the September 11 attacks and Nigeria adopting similar measures post-2011 after the bombing of the UN building in Abuja. This led to the enactment of laws that broadened state surveillance under the guise of national security.
The report indicates that civic leaders and political opposition figures are frequently targeted by surveillance initiatives.
“Evidence shows that state governors have acquired surveillance technologies to monitor political rivals, demonstrating the pervasive nature of these tactics,” said Ibezim-Ohaeri, pointing out that these tools are often used to suppress opposition voices and intimidate activists.
Most of Nigeria’s surveillance equipment, according to the report, is imported from countries including Israel, China, and the United States, posing significant risks due to the dual-use nature of these technologies, which can be repurposed for repressive measures.
“The dual-use nature of these technologies significantly contributes to their unchecked proliferation, often leading to abuses by both state and non-state actors,” Ibezim-Ohaeri added.
Despite existing laws intended to regulate surveillance, the report criticizes the weak enforcement of these frameworks, allowing abuses to go unchecked.
“While laws exist to govern surveillance, their enforcement is weak, creating a fertile ground for abuse and misuse,” Ibezim-Ohaeri cautioned, calling for immediate reforms that would establish robust oversight and transparency in the acquisition and use of surveillance technology.
