At the Nairobi forum, Cameroon’s Hon Agho Oliver warns that outdated laws leave citizens exposed and urges coordinated reforms across the continent.
Africa’s struggle with fast-evolving digital threats took centre stage on Tuesday as lawmakers, judges and cyber experts opened the Third African Forum on Cybercrime and Electronic Evidence in Nairobi. The message was stark. While cybercrime is rising at speed, legislation in many African states remains slow, uneven and often out of step with global standards.
Workshop One, co-hosted by the Council of Europe and Kenya’s Ministry of ICT and Digital Economy, set out to confront this gap. The goal was clear. Strengthen laws, align national frameworks with international conventions and build a foundation for a safer digital environment. Participants agreed that without modern, rights-based legislation, no state can respond effectively to borderless cyber threats.
Cameroon’s Hon Agho Oliver Bamenju, who set the pace for the session, said African countries must recognise that cybercrime has outgrown the laws meant to contain it.
“Cyber threats have become more complex, more borderless and more damaging,” he said adding that “Our task is to ensure that our laws are not only strong but fair, forward-looking and anchored in the rule of law.”
He described legislation as the first line of defence, noting that several countries have relied on the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime to modernise their frameworks while respecting human rights. The African Union’s Malabo Convention, now in force, and the newly adopted UN treaty against cybercrime, he added, offer fresh momentum for coordination across borders.
Hon Agho Oliver used Cameroon as an example of gradual but determined reform. The country has ratified the Budapest Convention and is updating its 2010 cybercrime law to align with international standards. He listed the creation of a special cybercrime unit within the judicial police, a national incident response team at ANTIC and a public-awareness and data-collection programme as evidence of the country’s commitment. He also pointed to new efforts to strengthen child protection online and operationalise a data-protection authority following a recent law.
He said these reforms reflect a wider ambition across the continent.
“Africa has taken an equally important step... with the Malabo Convention in effect and a global consensus through the UN treaty, we now have shared tools for cooperation, justice and accountability.” Hon Agho told delegates.
The workshop examined how states can harmonise legislation without weakening safeguards. Speakers from Sierra Leone, Malawi and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime argued that modern laws must balance investigative powers with strong protections for privacy, due process and freedom of expression. Delegates stressed that clear legal language, proportionality and necessity are essential for public trust.
Throughout the discussion, Hon Agho oliver returned to a central theme. Legislators must evolve as quickly as the threats they are trying to contain. He warned that outdated or ambiguous provisions weaken investigations and can invite abuse.
“Laws must keep pace with technology... they must be agile, technology-neutral and future-proof.” he said
He also urged MPs to build their own capacity. He said networks such as the African Parliamentary Network on Internet Governance and Parliamentarians for Global Action give lawmakers the training needed to translate complex technical issues into workable policies.
In the closing takeaways, panellists agreed on the expected impact if African states act on the forum’s proposals. A harmonised legal landscape would make cross-border cooperation faster, reduce safe havens for cybercriminals and strengthen prosecutions. Clear safeguards would enhance public confidence, while better-trained legislators would improve the quality of future reforms.
By Bakah Derick with reports for Hilltopvoices Online
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