Nigeria ranks 53rd in global cybersecurity report

Nigeria occupies 53rd position in the world in cybersecurity in spite of the absence of data protection laws in the West African country, the Digital Quality of Life Index 2020 has revealed.

The study, which covers 85 countries in the world, indexes the countries by looking at five fundamental pillars that define the digital quality of life namely, internet affordability, internet quality, electronic infrastructure, electronic security, and electronic government.

Meanwhile, in terms of internet quality, Nigeria ranks at the bottom of the pillar, clinching the 81st place. However, Peru, Algeria, Philippines, and Sri Lanka come behind Nigeria. Nigeria also has the least affordable internet globally, ranking below Columbia and Honduras in internet affordability.

Of all African countries analysed in the research, Nigeria is ahead of Algeria in the Digital Quality of Life Index 2020 but comes behind Kenya, Morocco, and Tunisia. Algeria occupies the 84th position, while Kenya is in the 77th position. Morocco and Tunisia are in the 70th and 64th positions respectively, according to the DQL Index 2020.

According to the report, although GDP per capita has a strong correlation with the DQL, there are countries that have a better digital quality of life with a lower GDP per capita than expected.

It further stated that thirteen countries (Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Greece, et al) exceed the expected digital quality of life by outperforming others in providing higher levels of e-security and more affordable internet connectivity. Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia with relatively high GDP per capita is underperforming in providing better digital wellbeing for its citizens due to low levels of internet quality and e-security, the report stated.