Individuals Internet Security Perceptions and Behaviors: Polycontextual Contrast Between Ghana and Nigeria

Abstract

The growth of internet usage is a global phenomenon with Africa not being left out. The continents access and use of the internet over the past two decades has been growing although the pace is below the global average. As the global cyberspace, if faced with the challenge of security, the African terrain is also faced with a similar challenge of ensuring safety for it increasing internet users. Internet user’s perception of security has been found to influence the behaviors of users among Chinese and Americans. This study sought to replicate Chen and Zehadis (2016) in the context of two West African countries, thus, Ghana and Nigeria. Four themes were adopted to examine internet security perceptions of thirty Ghanaian and Nigerian respondents. Findings proved there are minimal differences between Ghanaians and Nigerians in terms of the perception of threat, susceptibility to threat, self-efficacy in the face threats and taken actions.