Stakeholders have thrown their weight behind a Senate bill seeking to compel social media platforms operating in Nigeria to establish physical offices in the country, saying the move will strengthen regulatory oversight, improve digital accountability and enhance national security.
The endorsement came on Friday during a public hearing organised by the Senate Committee on ICT and Cyber Security on a bill sponsored by Senator Ned Nwoko (Delta North), which seeks to amend the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 to mandate social media companies to maintain physical offices within Nigeria.
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,” is aimed at ensuring that global technology companies have a local presence to engage with regulators and users.
Participants at the hearing argued that the absence of physical offices has made it difficult for Nigerian authorities to effectively engage social media companies on issues relating to cybersecurity, misinformation, data protection and online safety.
They maintained that local offices would improve communication between regulators and technology firms while ensuring quicker responses to legal, regulatory and security concerns.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on ICT and Cyber Security, Senator Shuaib Afolabi Salisu (Ogun Central), said the bill was designed to strengthen Nigeria’s digital ecosystem and improve accountability in the country’s cyberspace.
“The bill primarily seeks the protection of our cyberspace by ensuring greater accountability and regulatory engagement from social media platforms operating in Nigeria,” Salisu said.
President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, represented by the Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Lola Ashiru (Kwara South), described the proposal as a forward-looking legislative initiative that would support good governance in Nigeria’s digital economy.
Akpabio assured stakeholders that the proposed law was not intended to restrict the operations of social media companies or discourage investment.
Rather, he said the objective was to ensure that technology companies operating in Nigeria are more responsive to local laws, institutions and citizens.
Defending the bill, Senator Ned Nwoko said the proposal was neither punitive nor hostile to innovation but was intended to deepen the commitment of technology companies to Nigeria.
“This Bill is neither punitive nor hostile to innovation. It is not designed to frustrate investment or discourage technology companies from operating in Nigeria. On the contrary, it seeks to deepen their engagement with Nigeria by encouraging them to become true corporate citizens of our country,” Nwoko said.
The lawmaker noted that several countries, including the United Kingdom, India, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, South Africa, Brazil, Australia, Japan, Spain and the Netherlands, already host operational offices of major social media and technology companies.
According to him, those offices perform key functions such as engineering, artificial intelligence research, legal compliance, public policy, trust and safety, advertising, customer support and product development.
Nwoko argued that establishing local offices in Nigeria would create employment opportunities, increase tax revenues, strengthen regulatory engagement and encourage technology transfer.
“Why should Nigeria continue to stand on the sidelines? Why should Africa’s largest digital market not enjoy the same opportunities?” he asked.
Stakeholders also observed that having social media companies physically present in Nigeria would improve enforcement of data protection laws, facilitate investigations into online crimes and provide stronger mechanisms for addressing harmful digital content.
The Senate Committee is expected to consider submissions from stakeholders before presenting its recommendations on the bill for further legislative action.
At the same hearing, stakeholders also endorsed a separate bill sponsored by Senator Yemi Adaramodu (Ekiti South) seeking to establish an Artificial Intelligence Academy in Omuo-Ekiti to promote AI education, research and innovation in Nigeria.
