The Nigerian Senate passed a Bill requiring multinational social media companies to establish physical offices within the country. The legislation, sponsored by Senator Ned Munir Nwoko, seeks to enhance digital sovereignty, economic growth, and regulatory compliance. It addresses key concerns over local representation, economic opportunities, and legal issues stemming from the absence of such offices. The Bill received unanimous support and aims to improve the digital landscape in Nigeria.
On Tuesday, the Senate passed for a second reading a Bill aimed at amending the Nigeria Data Protection Act of 2023, requiring multinational social media companies to establish physical offices within Nigeria. Sponsored by Senator Ned Munir Nwoko (Delta North), the proposed legislation, titled “A Bill for an Act to Alter 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, 2024” (SB. 648), highlights the need for local representation among major social media platforms.
During the debate, Senator Nwoko emphasized the critical importance of this Bill in safeguarding Nigeria’s digital sovereignty, fostering economic growth, and improving the regulation of online platforms. He pointed out that despite Nigeria hosting one of the largest social media user bases globally, major platforms such as Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok currently lack a physical presence in the country.
Nwoko stated, “Nigeria ranks first in Africa and second globally in daily social media usage, yet these multinational companies operate here without any physical presence. This creates a gap in addressing regulatory concerns, managing content policies, and building local partnerships.” He articulated three primary issues stemming from the absence of physical offices: limited local representation, lost economic opportunities, and challenges in legal redress.
He elaborated that the disconnect due to the lack of local offices complicates resolving user complaints and compliance issues. Nwoko further lamented the economic disadvantages, saying, “Economically, it denies Nigeria the benefits of job creation in areas such as customer service, content moderation, legal compliance, and marketing.” He cited the beneficial potential for Nigerian professionals to learn from international technological expertise if these companies set up local offices.
Nwoko also addressed the legal complexities arising from the absence of physical offices, declaring that this Bill seeks to simplify user rights protection and dispute resolution. The presence of social media companies is expected to enhance job creation, technology transfer, and adherence to local laws. He pointed to the successful model established by multinational corporations like MTN and Chevron, underscoring the economic benefits derived from their local presence.
In addition to social media companies, the Bill mandates that all bloggers operating in Nigeria must establish a verifiable office in any of the country’s capital cities and join a recognized national association of bloggers based in Abuja. This initiative aims to promote professionalism and accountability in digital content creation. The Bill garnered unanimous support from the Senate, and Senate President Godwill Akpabio reiterated that it aims to increase tax revenues for the Federal Government, not to suppress media freedoms.
The recent passage of the Bill by the Senate signals a significant move towards enhancing regulation of social media companies operating in Nigeria. By mandating physical offices, the legislation aims to improve issues related to local representation, economic opportunities, and legal complexities. Senator Nwoko’s advocacy for the Bill highlights the potential benefits for Nigeria’s economy and technology landscape, advocating for the establishment of local partnerships that could lead to job creation and efficient regulatory compliance.
Original Source: businessday.ng
