On Tuesday, the Senate advanced the legislative process on a bill requiring social media platforms to establish physical offices within Nigeria.
The proposed legislation, 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)’, is sponsored by Senator Ned Nwoko (APC, Delta North).
The bill passed its second reading during plenary.
Leading the debate, Nwoko described the bill—first introduced on November 21, 2024—as a matter of national importance, crucial to Nigeria’s sovereignty, economy, and technological growth.
He emphasized that it seeks to address a significant oversight in how multinational social media companies engage with Nigeria.
Citing a Global Web Index report referenced by Business Insider Africa, Nwoko noted that Nigeria, with over 220 million people, has the highest digital engagement in Africa and ranks second globally in social media usage, with citizens spending an average of three hours and 46 minutes online daily.
Despite this, he pointed out that major social media companies—including Facebook, X, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat—do not maintain physical offices in Nigeria, unlike in other countries.
The senator outlined several challenges stemming from this absence, including limited local representation, economic losses, and difficulties in enforcing legal and data protection regulations.
Also, the bill introduces new regulations for bloggers operating in Nigeria, requiring them to have a verifiable office in any state capital, maintain proper employee records, and be part of a recognised national association of bloggers headquartered in Abuja.
Nwoko explained that these measures aim to enhance accountability, transparency, and professionalism in Nigeria’s digital media landscape, aligning it with standards upheld by traditional media houses.
He clarified that the bill is not an attack on social media platforms but a call for fairness and recognition of Nigeria’s role as a major player in digital engagement.
In his remarks, Senate President Godswill Akpabio acknowledged the need for careful deliberation on blogger regulations while agreeing that requiring digital platforms to have a local office in Nigeria was long overdue.
“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,” he said.
Akpabio clarified that the bill was not intended to restrict social media but rather to establish a framework for proper taxation and record-keeping for digital platforms operating in Nigeria.
He subsequently referred the bill to the Senate Committee on ICT and Cyber Security for further legislative review, directing them to report back within two months.
