Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, to Represent President Tinubu
ABUJA, Nigeria Nigeria will join over 100 countries in Hanoi, Vietnam, for the global signing ceremony of the United Nations Convention Against Cybercrime, scheduled to hold from October 25 to 26, 2025, as the world unites to tackle the growing menace of digital crime.
The Vietnamese Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Bui Quoc Hung, announced on Tuesday during a press briefing at the Vietnamese Embassy in Abuja that Nigeria’s delegation will be led by the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Hung disclosed that cybercrime has caused an estimated $10 trillion in global losses in 2025 alone, citing Interpol data that Africa has lost about $3 billion to digital crimes over the past six years.
The high-level meeting, themed “Countering Cybercrime Sharing Responsibility – Securing Our Future,” will draw delegations from 108 countries, including 10 led by presidents and vice presidents, and 30 led by ministers, he said.
“We have extended an invitation to President Bola Tinubu, but due to his busy schedule, he has assigned the Minister of Justice to lead the Nigerian delegation,” Ambassador Hung stated.
According to the envoy, the Hanoi Convention marks a significant step in global cooperation against cybercrime, being the first major international cybercrime treaty since the Budapest Convention of 2001. He emphasized Vietnam’s commitment to supporting developing nations, including Nigeria, in strengthening cybersecurity laws, data protection frameworks, and digital governance mechanisms.
“Vietnam wants to serve as a reliable bridge between developing and developed countries in combating cybercrime. We are hopeful that, on the sidelines of the convention, our two justice ministries will finalize and possibly sign a Memorandum of Understanding on legal and technical cooperation,” he said.
Hung further highlighted Vietnam’s rapid economic growth and global engagement, noting that the country’s GDP is projected to hit $510 billion in 2025, up from $470 billion in 2024, making it the 32nd largest economy in the world with an expected growth rate of between 6.8 and 8 percent.
He also revealed that Vietnam has established diplomatic relations with all 193 member states of the United Nations and has recently been re-elected to the UN Security Council for a second term a testament to its increasing global influence.
Meanwhile, President of Vietnam, Luong Cuong, in a message ahead of the event, described the convention as a “historic milestone in the global fight against cybercrime.”
“In the digital era, cybercrime is no longer the challenge of any single nation but a grave global threat that endangers security, undermines political and economic stability, and disrupts social life,” Cuong said.
He added that the new convention will provide a legal framework for international cooperation, ensuring that developing and vulnerable countries receive support and capacity-building to confront cyber threats effectively.
The Vietnamese leader noted that the hosting of the signing ceremony in Hanoi underscores the country’s dedication to multilateralism and shared responsibility in safeguarding cyberspace as a “common asset of humankind.”
“With the participation and commitment of all nations, the Signing Ceremony in Hanoi will become a historic milestone, sending a powerful message of our collective resolve to counter cybercrime and build a world of peace, justice, and the rule of law,” Cuong affirmed.
The United Nations Convention Against Cybercrime, adopted by the UN General Assembly in December 2024, aims to create a global framework for combating cyberattacks, online fraud, data breaches, and other forms of digital crime through international collaboration, information sharing, and law enforcement coordination.
