On Tuesday, the Nigerian Senate passed for first reading a bill that seeks to compel major social media platforms, including Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, TikTok, and independent bloggers, to establish physical offices within Nigeria.
Titled “A Bill for an Act to Amend the Nigerian Data Protection Act, 2023, Mandating the Establishment of Physical Offices within the Federal Republic of Nigeria by Social Media Platforms, and for Related Matters, 2025,” the bill was introduced by Senator Ned Nwoko, a representative from Delta State.
“The absence of physical offices in Nigeria creates significant challenges for both users and businesses, limiting local engagement with social media platforms,” Nwoko argued during the Senate debate.
“This bill seeks to correct this oversight and ensure these platforms are more accessible and accountable to Nigerian users.”
The bill, first introduced on November 21, 2024, would require social media giants to set up offices in Nigeria and regulate bloggers who operate in the country.
Bloggers will be mandated to establish verifiable offices in any Nigerian state capital, maintain proper employee records, and join an association based in Abuja.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio acknowledged the benefits of having local offices for better oversight and regulatory compliance.
However, he urged caution regarding the regulation of bloggers. “It’s beneficial to have an address, but bloggers are a bit different.
The best approach is for the bill to go for a second reading, followed by a public hearing to provide more clarity,” Akpabio said.
Nigeria, with over 200 million people, ranks second globally in social media engagement, a factor that Nwoko cited as critical to the need for local offices.
The Senate has tasked the Committee on ICT and Cyber Security with a thorough review of the bill, with a report expected in two months.