Senate Pushes to Compel Social Media Giants to Open Nigeria Offices

• Akpabio: Move will strengthen national security, data protection, jobs

• Stakeholders back Adaramodu, Nwoko’s bills

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

The Senate on Thursday won overwhelming stakeholder support for a landmark legislative proposal that would compel global social media and technology companies operating in Nigeria to establish physical offices in the country.

The move is aimed at strengthening national security, improving data protection, enhancing regulatory oversight and creating thousands of jobs.

The endorsement came during a public hearing organised by the Senate Committee on Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and Cyber Security on a bill sponsored by Senator Ned Nwoko (APC, Delta North) seeking to amend the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023 to mandate social media platforms operating within Nigeria to maintain physical offices in the country.

Stakeholders at the hearing also threw their weight behind a separate bill sponsored by Senator Yemi Adaramodu (APC, Ekiti South) seeking to establish a National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Academy in Omuo-Ekiti as a centre of excellence for AI education, research and innovation.

Speaking at the hearing, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, represented by Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Oyelola Ashiru, described both bills as forward-looking legislative initiatives that would reposition Nigeria for leadership in the digital economy.

Akpabio dismissed fears that compelling global technology companies to establish offices in Nigeria would amount to censorship or an attack on freedom of expression.

He said the proposed amendment was intended to ensure accountability, responsiveness to lawful requests, compliance with Nigerian laws and stronger protection of citizens’ digital rights.

“In an era defined by rapid digital transformation, social media platforms have opened unprecedented opportunities. However, they have also introduced complex challenges relating to data privacy, data protection, national security, consumer protection and digital rights,” he said.

According to him, requiring social media platforms operating in Nigeria to maintain physical offices is “a strategic step towards strengthening regulatory oversight, improving responsiveness, promoting transparency and contributing to economic growth through local investment and job creation.

Akpabio stressed the proposal was not designed to undermine constitutional rights.

He said, “It is pertinent to clearly state that this amendment is not intended to prevent or undermine the fundamental right to freedom of expression, nor is it designed to stifle innovation.

“Rather, it seeks to ensure responsibility, responsiveness to lawful requests, accountability and compliance with Nigeria’s legal framework,” he added.

Chairman of the Senate Committee on ICT and Cyber Security, Senator Shuaib Salisu (APC, Ogun Central), said the Data Protection Amendment Bill was intended to strengthen Nigeria’s cyberspace while the AI Academy Bill would create a national centre of excellence for artificial intelligence education and research.

On the proposed National AI Academy, Adaramodu said Nigeria must invest aggressively in artificial intelligence if it hopes to remain competitive in the rapidly evolving global digital economy.

He said AI had become central to governance, healthcare, education, manufacturing, business and national competitiveness, adding that with over 65 per cent of Nigerians being young and digitally inclined, the country could not afford to lag behind.

He urged support for the proposed institution, saying it would serve as a national hub for knowledge, innovation, research and capacity building capable of positioning Nigeria among leading countries driving the global AI revolution.

Stakeholders who presented memoranda at the hearing broadly endorsed both proposals, paving the way for further legislative consideration by the Senate.

Defending the bill, Nwoko said Nigeria could no longer remain Africa’s largest digital market while multinational technology companies continued to reap enormous profits without establishing a physical presence or assuming direct obligations to the country.

He argued that unlike telecommunications companies, which invested heavily and created employment after establishing operations in Nigeria, many global digital platforms generated billions of naira from Nigerian users without paying appropriate taxes, employing Nigerians directly or facilitating technology transfer.

He said, “This Bill is neither punitive nor hostile to innovation. It is not designed to frustrate investment or discourage technology companies from operating in Nigeria,” he said.

“On the contrary, it seeks to deepen their engagement with Nigeria by encouraging them to become true corporate citizens of our country.”

Nwoko cited countries including the United Kingdom, Ireland, India, Singapore, South Africa, Brazil, Japan, Spain, Australia and the United Arab Emirates where technology giants such as Meta, Google, TikTok, LinkedIn and X maintain multiple offices handling engineering, artificial intelligence research, legal compliance, public policy, trust and safety, cloud services, advertising, customer support and product development.

He said those countries had deliberately attracted technology investments that boosted employment, expanded tax revenues, strengthened regulatory engagement and accelerated innovation.

He said, “The question therefore is simple: if countries with significantly smaller populations and digital markets than Nigeria have secured these investments and benefits, why should Nigeria continue to stand on the sidelines? Why should Africa’s largest digital market not enjoy the same opportunities?” he asked.

Nwoko also linked the absence of local offices to security challenges, recalling a recent kidnapping case in Oyo State in which kidnappers reportedly communicated through TikTok.

According to him, a local office would have enabled Nigerian security agencies to engage directly with the platform in tracking the criminals.

“Our data also deserves protection. These companies hold vast amounts of information about Nigerians but have no direct obligation to us because they have no physical presence here,” he said.