Bill Mandating Bloggers, Facebook, Others To Have Offices In Nigeria Passes Second Reading

The Nigerian Senate has advanced a bill mandating social media platforms to establish physical offices in the country and introducing new regulations for bloggers.

The bill, sponsored by Senator Ned Nwoko, aims to enhance accountability, legal compliance, and economic benefits while ensuring digital platforms respect Nigeria’s digital influence.

The Nigerian Senate has passed the second reading of a bill seeking to amend the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023, to mandate social media platforms to establish physical offices within Nigeria.

VerseNews reports that 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 highlighted Nigeria’s position as Africa’s most populous nation with over 220 million people and a significant digital presence. He cited a Global Web Index report referenced by Business Insider Africa, which ranks Nigeria first in Africa and second globally in terms of social media usage, with an average of three hours and 46 minutes spent online daily.

Despite this high engagement, multinational social media corporations such as Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat do not have physical offices in Nigeria, unlike in other major markets. Senator Nwoko argued that this absence results in a lack of local representation, economic losses, and challenges in enforcing legal and data protection compliance.

The proposed amendment also introduces regulations for bloggers 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 Nwoko, this measure aims to promote accountability, transparency, and professionalism in Nigeria’s digital media space, similar to traditional media houses. He clarified that the bill is not an attack on social media platforms but a demand for equity and respect for Nigeria’s role as a leader in digital engagement.

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Senate President Godswill Akpabio, while supporting the bill’s objectives, raised concerns about the regulation of bloggers. “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,” Akpabio stated.

He reassured Nigerians that the bill should not be seen as an attempt to suppress free speech but rather a framework for proper taxation and legal accountability for digital platforms operating in the country. “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,” he added.

Following deliberations, the bill was referred to the Senate Committee on ICT and Cyber Security, which is expected to report back with its findings in two months.

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