The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has formally urged President Bola Tinubu to bring an immediate end to what it calls unlawful and unconstitutional mass phone tapping in Nigeria, warning that current surveillance rules pose a threat to citizens’ fundamental rights.
In a letter dated February 21, 2026 and signed by SERAP’s Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare, the rights organisation asked the President to instruct the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, to withdraw the Lawful Interception of Communications Regulations, 2019, arguing that they violate both constitutional safeguards and Nigeria’s international obligations.
SERAP’s appeal follows public allegations by former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai that the phone of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, was intercepted, a claim that reignited concerns about the scope of state surveillance.
In its letter, SERAP described the 2019 regulations as establishing a broad mass surveillance regime that grants security agencies expansive powers to intercept communications on loosely defined grounds such as “national security,” “economic wellbeing,” and “public emergency,” without necessary judicial oversight or transparency.
The organisation highlighted that these powers lack adequate safeguards such as independent review, clear limits on interception authority, and effective remedies for individuals whose privacy has been violated, elements it says are essential to protect rights guaranteed under the Nigerian Constitution.
SERAP specifically warned that as Nigeria approaches the 2027 general elections, weakly regulated surveillance could be abused against political opponents, journalists, civil society activists, and election observers , potentially chilling free political engagement and undermining election integrity.
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The letter also referenced guidance from the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, noting that blanket or indiscriminate data collection programmes are inherently arbitrary and cannot meet international standards of legality, necessity, and proportionality.
According to SERAP, vague provisions in the 2019 regulations, including the authority given to security agencies and the Telecommunications Commission to expand interception powers create legal uncertainty and risk arbitrary application.
The rights group urged a transparent and inclusive legislative process to replace current rules with a lawful interception framework that fully complies with constitutional safeguards, independent judicial oversight requirements, and Nigeria’s international human rights commitments.
SERAP has set a seven-day timeline for government action on its recommendations, stating that failure to respond could prompt the organisation to pursue legal action to compel compliance “in the public interest,” as it seeks stronger protections for privacy and freedom of expression in the digital age.
