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The West Africa ICT Action Network (WAICTANet) welcomes the historic passage of the Liberia Cybercrime Bill into law by the Liberian Senate on Tuesday, November 4, 2025. This landmark legislation represents a defining step in the country’s effort to secure its digital future and safeguard citizens, institutions, and businesses from the growing threats of cybercrime.

The new Liberia Cybercrime Act provides a comprehensive legal framework to prevent, investigate, and prosecute offences such as identity theft, online fraud, cyber harassment, child exploitation, and unauthorized access to computer systems. It also introduces mechanisms for handling digital evidence, international cooperation, and the protection of critical information infrastructure, aligning Liberia with regional and international best practices. This achievement situates Liberia among the progressive African nations implementing the African Union’s Malabo Convention on Cybersecurity and Personal Data Protection and fulfills part of its commitments under the ECOWAS Directive on Fighting Cybercrime and the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime (2025). WAICTANet acknowledges the collaborative role played by the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, the Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA), and diverse civil society actors in shaping this legislation through stakeholder consultations and policy dialogues.

For over five years, WAICTANet has championed rights-based digital reforms through public education, capacity-building, and advocacy on cybersecurity governance. The passage of this Act reflects the tangible impact of such multi-stakeholder engagement and the importance of civic participation in national digital policymaking. While this is a welcome achievement, WAICTANet emphasizes that cybersecurity must advance in harmony with human rights and democratic principles. The implementation of the Act must therefore be proportionate, transparent, and rights-respecting.

To achieve this, WAICTANet urges the Government of Liberia to ensure that the implementation of the Cybercrime Act is grounded in accountability, transparency, and respect for fundamental freedoms. This includes integrating Human Rights Impact Assessments (HRIAs) into enforcement processes, establishing an independent Cybersecurity and Data Protection Commission, and guaranteeing judicial oversight in investigative and prosecutorial procedures. It also calls for the protection of freedom of expression and privacy in digital spaces, alongside continuous engagement with civil society, academia, and the private sector to monitor implementation and inform ongoing policy review.

“This Act is not just a legal instrument—it is a social contract for a safer, freer, and more trusted digital Liberia,” said Peterking Quaye, Regional Director of WAICTANet. “Our next task is to make sure that its implementation strengthens human rights, enhances accountability, and builds digital trust across every community.” WAICTANet will continue to partner with national institutions, development partners, and regional stakeholders to support capacity-building for law enforcement, digital rights awareness, and cybersecurity education.

As part of its #CyberSafeLiberia campaign, WAICTANet will host a national policy dialogue later this year under the theme “Human Rights and the Cybercrime Act: Building Trust in Liberia’s Digital Future.” WAICTANet calls on all stakeholders — government, private sector, and civil society — to collaborate in ensuring that this law becomes a force for digital empowerment and human dignity, not surveillance or repression. Together, Liberia can demonstrate that it is possible to fight cybercrime while upholding freedom, privacy, and inclusion. The West Africa ICT Action Network (WAICTANet) is a regional multi-stakeholder platform promoting inclusive digital transformation, cybersecurity governance, and data protection across the Mano River Union (Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Côte d’Ivoire).