Senate Pushes for Local Offices by Social Media Giants in Nigeria: Accountability and Growth in Focus

 

The Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has successfully advanced a bill through its second reading, proposing an amendment to the Nigeria Data Protection Act of 2023. This legislation mandates that prominent social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, Reddit, TikTok, and Threads, establish physical offices within Nigeria.

The bill, championed by Senator Ned Nwoko of Delta North, aims to compel multinational social media corporations—such as Facebook, X, WhatsApp, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat—to establish local offices, thereby fostering greater accountability and ensuring compliance with Nigerian statutory frameworks.

In presenting his case, Senator Nwoko underscored the incongruity between Nigeria’s expansive digital footprint and the absence of physical offices for these global social media entities within its borders. He highlighted that this lack of local presence has precipitated economic losses and engendered difficulties in legal oversight, data protection adherence, and addressing advertisement-related concerns. Notably, platforms like Facebook, X, and YouTube currently do not permit Nigerians to pay for services or advertisements in the local currency, the Naira, exacerbating barriers for users and businesses.

Nigeria boasts over 50 million social media users—a significant digital audience—yet multinational platforms’ limited local engagement underscores the importance of this legislative move.

Furthermore, the bill extends its purview to the regulation of bloggers, stipulating that they must establish verifiable offices in any of the nation's capital cities, maintain proper employment records, and affiliate with a recognized national association of bloggers, headquartered in Abuja.

Senator Nwoko clarified that this initiative does not seek to curtail social media freedoms but rather to elevate standards of accountability and transparency akin to those observed in traditional media.

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, acknowledged the merit of requiring physical offices for digital platforms, while cautioning that the regulation of bloggers warrants meticulous deliberation. He emphasized that the bill should not be misconstrued as an effort to muzzle social media but should instead be viewed as a framework to enable proper taxation and record-keeping measures.

Senator Akpabio remarked, "While having an address is commendable, bloggers represent a unique category. I propose that the bill advances to a public hearing following this second reading, to refine its provisions for optimal clarity."

The proposed legislation has now been referred to the Senate Committee on ICT and Cyber Security, which is expected to present its findings within the next two months.