The rise of
digital technologies has transformed the business landscape, with the Internet becoming
a critical platform for e-commerce and digital marketing. Despite regulatory
efforts, awareness and compliance with cyber regulations remain limited. This
study investigated online business operators' awareness and compliance with cyber
regulations, as well as the challenges they encounter. Guided by the Protection
Motivation Theory, the study surveyed 384 online business operators within Akwa
Ibom’s digital space, employing a simple random sampling technique and using a
questionnaire as the data collection instrument. Findings reveal that 49.1% of
online businesses are aware of cyber regulations but face difficulties in complying
due to complex policies, rapid technological changes, and other factors. To
address these challenges, the study recommends that policymakers and
cybersecurity stakeholders provide regular training and educational programmes
for online business owners and employees on cybersecurity regulations and data
privacy policies to enhance understanding and improve compliance.
