Nigeria: Senate Pushes to Compel Social Media Giants to Open Nigeria Offices

What the report says

AllAfrica, citing This Day, reported that Nigeria’s Senate received broad stakeholder backing on Thursday for a bill that would require major global social media and technology platforms operating in Nigeria to maintain physical offices in the country. The proposal was considered at a public hearing in Abuja by the Senate Committee on Information and Communications Technology and Cyber Security. Sponsored by Senator Ned Nwoko of Delta North, the bill seeks to amend the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023.

Supporters presented the measure as a way to improve regulatory oversight, data protection, security cooperation and local economic participation. Senate President Godswill Akpabio, represented by Deputy Senate Leader Oyelola Ashiru, said the plan was aimed at accountability and compliance with Nigerian law, not censorship or restrictions on free expression. Committee chair Senator Shuaib Salisu said the amendment was part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s digital environment.

Nwoko argued that Nigeria is a major digital market and that multinational platforms benefit from Nigerian users without enough local obligations, tax contribution, employment or technology transfer. He compared Nigeria with countries where companies such as Meta, Google, TikTok, LinkedIn and X have offices supporting policy, compliance, engineering and user services. He also linked local presence to faster security engagement, referring to a reported kidnapping case in Oyo State in which suspects allegedly used TikTok.

The hearing also considered a separate bill by Senator Yemi Adaramodu to establish a National Artificial Intelligence Academy in Omuo-Ekiti. According to the report, stakeholders broadly supported both proposals, meaning they can proceed to further Senate consideration.