By: TPA News Desk | editor@thepointafricanews.com

The Liberian Senate has established a Joint Committee to conduct a comprehensive review of the Cybercrime Act of 2021, aiming to incorporate expert opinions from key stakeholders before its final passage. This decision, reached during a heated session on Thursday, June 19, 2025, comes as part of an effort to enhance the prohibition, prevention, detection, response, and prosecution of cybercrime in Liberia.

The Cybercrime Act of 2021 was previously passed by the House of Representatives and has been awaiting concurrence from the Senate. Recognizing the critical importance of the legislation, the Senate has tasked its Joint Committee on Post and Telecommunications, Judiciary, and Defense, Security, Intelligence, and Veteran Affairs to gather expert input and report back to Plenary within three weeks.

The urgency to strengthen Liberia’s cyber laws stems from the pervasive and growing threat of cybercrime. As Pro Tempore of the Liberian Senate, Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence, highlighted, “Cybercrime remains a rising menace to people, businesses, and governments, making them vulnerable to data loss, identity theft, emotional trauma, and eventually hurting their reputation.” Globally, cybercrime poses a significant threat to economic stability, with damages estimated to reach trillions of dollars annually, affecting entities from individuals to critical national infrastructure.

The Act is designed to establish an effective mechanism for combating cybercrimes and, once enacted, will provide a crucial legal framework to address threats to the development of Liberia’s information system. This legislative push underscores Liberia’s commitment to safeguarding its digital infrastructure, protecting its citizens, and fostering a secure environment for economic growth in an increasingly interconnected world.