The Senate has passed for a second reading a bill aimed at amending the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023, to mandate 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 introduced by Senator Ned Nwoko (Delta North).
Leading the debate, Senator Nwoko emphasized Nigeria’s significant digital presence as Africa’s most populous nation with over 220 million people. He pointed out that Nigeria ranks first in Africa and second globally in terms of social media usage, with citizens spending an average of three hours and 46 minutes online daily, according to a Global Web Index report cited by Business Insider Africa.
Despite the high engagement, Nwoko noted that major multinational social media companies, including Facebook, X, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat, do not maintain physical offices in Nigeria, unlike in other countries.
Senator Nwoko outlined several challenges stemming from the lack of local offices, including limited local representation, economic losses, and issues with legal and data protection compliance.
The bill also introduces new regulations for bloggers operating in Nigeria, requiring them to:
- Establish a verifiable office in any of Nigeria’s capital cities.
- Maintain proper employee records.
- Be a member of a recognized national bloggers’ association, headquartered in Abuja.
Senator Nwoko explained that the bill aims to foster accountability, transparency, and professionalism in Nigeria’s digital media space, much like traditional media houses.
He clarified that the bill is not an attack on social media platforms but rather a demand for equity and respect for Nigeria’s standing as a global leader in digital engagement.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio, speaking on the bill, acknowledged the benefits of having a local address for digital platforms but emphasized that regulating bloggers requires careful consideration.
“It’s good to have an address, but bloggers are slightly different,” Akpabio said. “I think the best approach is for the bill to proceed to a second reading and then a public hearing for more streamlined clarity.”
Akpabio stressed that the bill should not be seen as an attempt to restrict social media but as a framework for proper taxation and record-keeping for digital platforms operating in Nigeria.
“I was looking to see if the bill intends to gag bloggers, but I haven’t seen that, so we’ll wait for it to reach the public hearing stage,” he added.
The bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on ICT and Cyber Security, which is expected to report back in two months.
