National Assembly Passes Landmark Cybersecurity Amendment Bill

The National Assembly on Wednesday passed a sweeping amendment to the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act that mandates 72-hour breach disclosure for all financial institutions and establishes a new federal cyber-defense agency reporting to the Office of the National Security Adviser.

The bill, which passed third reading after a three-hour debate, also stiffens penalties for ransomware actors and creates a national bug-bounty programme administered jointly with private sector partners.

Key Provisions

• 72-hour mandatory breach disclosure for banks, fintechs and telcos.
• Creation of the National Cyber Defense Authority (NCDA).
• Maximum 25-year prison term for state-sponsored cyber-attack convictions.
• Mandatory cyber-insurance for critical-infrastructure operators.

Civil-liberties groups have raised concerns about provisions criminalising "online defamation," arguing they could be weaponised against journalists. The Senate President has promised a review before assent.

Advertisement