Senate Bill Pushes for Mandatory Physical Offices for TikTok, Facebook, and Bloggers in Nigeria
In order to require social media companies to establish physical offices in Nigeria, the Nigerian Senate has advanced a measure to amend the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023.
Ned Nwoko, a senator from Delta North, introduced the proposed law, which is named “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).”
During the bill’s introduction, Senator Nwoko highlighted Nigeria’s significant digital presence, pointing out that, with more than 220 million people, it is the most populous country in Africa and the second-most popular country in the world for social media use.
According to a “Global Web Index” report cited by “Business Insider Africa,” Nigerians use the internet for three hours and forty-six minutes every day on average.
Despite this high level of involvement, he noted that, in contrast to other nations, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, and other big social media companies do not have physical operations in Nigeria.
Senator Nwoko brought attention to a number of issues stemming from the lack of local offices, including poor representation, negative economic effects, and challenges in implementing laws and data protection policies.
New Guidelines for Bloggers
In addition to social networking sites, the measure imposes new regulations on Nigerian bloggers.
It requires all bloggers to: – Open a verified office in one of the nation’s capital cities; – Keep accurate personnel records. Join a reputable national blogger association with its main office in Abuja.
Senator Nwoko claims that these steps are intended to bring Nigeria’s digital media environment into line with standards seen in traditional media organizations by improving accountability, transparency, and professionalism.
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He explained that rather than unfairly targeting social media networks, the measure aims to promote equity and acknowledge Nigeria’s significant contribution to digital participation.
The Senate President’s Viewpoint
Senate President Godswill Akpabio acknowledged the importance of social media platforms having local offices but cautioned that regulating bloggers requires careful deliberation.
“Having an address is a good idea, but bloggers are a little different,” he said. I think the best thing is for the bill to go for a second reading and subsequently public hearing for much more streamlined clarity.”
Emphasising that the legislation should not be mistaken for an attempt to suppress social media, he explained that it aims to establish a structure for appropriate taxation and record-keeping for digital platforms operating in Nigeria.
Senator Akpabio further noted: “I was looking to see if it intends to gag bloggers, but I haven’t seen that so we wait for it to get to the stage of public hearing.”
The bill has been forwarded to the Senate Committee on ICT and Cybersecurity, which is expected to present its report within two months.
