SERAP wants NASS to drop bill on social media offices in Nigeria

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has asked the National Assembly to cancel a bill that would force social media platforms and bloggers in Nigeria to set up physical offices with real addresses in the country.

SERAP made this request in a letter sent on 18 July. The letter was addressed to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas.

The letter was signed by Kolawole Oluwadare, who is SERAP’s Deputy Director.

SERAP believes that this proposed bill could result in social media platforms shutting down or leaving Nigeria. It could also put millions of Nigerians at risk of losing their rights, which are guaranteed by the constitution and international law.

“The Bill would create sweeping powers capable of shutting down or excluding social media platforms from the Nigerian market and exposing millions of Nigerians to serious violations of their constitutionally and internationally guaranteed human rights,” the letter states.

The bill, which Delta North Senator Ned Nwoko sponsored, passed the second reading in the Senate in March 2025. It was then sent to the Senate Committee on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Cyber Security for more work and a public hearing.

Even though the committee was told to report back within two months, it has not yet done so for the Senate’s further consideration.

While discussing the bill, Senator Nwoko explained that the aim is to make sure digital businesses pay taxes in Nigeria. He added that the bill is not meant to target social media platforms but to boost revenue from the digital economy.

The senator also pointed out that not having physical offices for social media companies in Nigeria creates problems. These include limited local help for user complaints, issues with handling Nigeria-specific content, missed job opportunities, and weak compliance with regulations.

Some senators supported the bill, insisting it was about increasing government revenue and not about controlling social media.

But SERAP warned that making tech companies set up local offices could give the government more power to pressure these platforms.

“Requirements compelling technology companies to establish local offices would increase government leverage over platforms, facilitate political pressure, make censorship demands easier and expose local employees to retaliation,” the letter said.

The organization noted that if this bill becomes law, it would add unnecessary burdens on digital services and harm the rights of Nigerians.

“The National Assembly should avoid imposing localisation requirements that unnecessarily burden digital services and undermine citizens’ rights. The bill constitutes a backdoor attempt to regulate social media and increase government control over online expression by imposing corporate localisation requirements rather than through transparent and constitutionally permissible regulation.

“The National Assembly should immediately reject and withdraw the Bill, as it is manifestly incompatible with the Nigerian Constitution and Nigeria’s obligations under the African Charter on Human Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,” he said.

SERAP also said the proposed change could hurt Nigeria’s digital economy and its reputation abroad.

“The Bill would undermine the country’s digital economy, innovation ecosystem and international standing. Although the bill is presented as an amendment to the Nigeria Data Protection Act intended to improve regulatory compliance and consumer protection, its practical effect is far more expansive.

“The proposed amendment threatens far more than the interests of technology companies. It directly affects the rights of millions of Nigerians who depend on digital platforms to exercise their rights to freedom of expression, receive and impart information, associate with others, participate in political life, conduct business, pursue education and engage in civic advocacy,” the organization stated.