The Senate has passed through second reading a bill seeking to amend the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023, to require social media platforms to establish physical offices within the country.
The bill, titled ‘ A Bill for an Act to Amend the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023, to Mandate the Establishment of Physical Offices within the Territorial Boundaries of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by Social Media Platforms, and for Related Matters, 2025 (SB. 650),” was sponsored by Senator Ned Nwoko (Delta North).
Leading the debate, Senator Nwoko noted that Nigeria as Africa’s most populous nation with over 220 million people has a significant digital presence, ranking first in Africa and second globally in terms of social media usage, spending an average of three hours and 46 minutes daily online, according to a Global Web Index report cited by Business Insider Africa.
He highlighted that despite the high engagement, multinational social media corporations such as Facebook, X, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat do not maintain physical offices in Nigeria, unlike in other climes.
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Senator Nwoko outlined several challenges resulting from the absence of social media offices in Nigeria, including limited local representation; economic losses as well as challenges in legal and data protection compliance.
The bill also proposes new regulations for bloggers operating in Nigeria. It mandates that all bloggers must:
– Establish a verifiable office in any of the capital cities across the country.
– Maintain proper employee records.
– Belong to a recognized national association of bloggers, headquartered in Abuja.
According to Senator Nwoko, this measure is intended to promote accountability, transparency, and professionalism in Nigeria’s digital media space, similar to traditional media houses.
He argued that the bill is not an attack on social media platforms but a demand for equity and respect for Nigeria’s position as a global leader in digital engagement.
Speaking on the bill, Senate President Godswill Akpabio acknowledged that while having a local address for digital platforms is beneficial, the regulation of bloggers requires careful consideration.
He stated: ‘It’s good to have an address, but bloggers are slightly different. I think the best thing is for the bill to go for a second reading and subsequently public hearing for much more streamlined clarity”.
He noted that the bill should not be perceived as an attempt to gag social media but rather as a framework for appropriate taxation and record-keeping for digital platforms operating in Nigeria.
Senator Akpabio added: “I was looking to see if it intends to gag bloggers, but I haven’t seen that so we wait for it to get to the stage of public hearing”.
The bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on ICT and Cyber Security to report back in two months.
