The Nigerian Senate has taken a significant step toward requiring major global social media companies, including Facebook, TikTok, X, Instagram, and other digital platforms, to establish physical offices in Nigeria as part of efforts to strengthen regulation, improve accountability, and unlock greater economic benefits from the country’s growing digital economy.
The proposal received widespread support during a public hearing held in Abuja on Thursday by the Senate Committee on Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and Cyber Security. The hearing also considered a separate bill seeking to establish an Artificial Intelligence Academy in Omuo-Ekiti, Ekiti State.
The social media bill, sponsored by Senator Ned Nwoko, who represents Delta North Senatorial District, seeks to amend the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023 by making it mandatory for social media companies operating in Nigeria to maintain physical offices within the country.
Speaking at the hearing, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on ICT and Cyber Security, Senator Shuaib Salisu, said the proposed legislation is designed to strengthen Nigeria’s digital ecosystem while enhancing the regulation of online platforms operating within the country’s cyberspace.
He explained that the bill would encourage closer engagement between global technology companies and Nigerian regulatory institutions while supporting the country’s broader digital transformation agenda.
Representing Senate President Godswill Akpabio, the Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Lola Ashiru, described both legislative proposals as forward-looking initiatives capable of driving innovation and national development. He stressed that the bill is not intended to restrict the operations of international technology companies but rather to promote greater corporate responsibility and stronger collaboration with Nigeria.
Defending the proposed legislation, Senator Ned Nwoko rejected suggestions that the bill could discourage foreign investment or create an unfriendly business environment for global technology firms.
According to him, the objective is to encourage technology companies to become more deeply integrated into Nigeria’s economy by establishing local operations that will benefit both the companies and the country.
He argued that many nations with smaller populations and less developed digital markets have successfully attracted global technology firms to establish regional headquarters, engineering centres, customer support offices, and research facilities.
Nwoko pointed to countries such as the United Kingdom, India, the Netherlands, Spain, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, South Africa, Brazil, Australia, and Japan, where major technology companies have established substantial local operations that contribute to employment, innovation, tax revenue, and technology transfer.
He explained that these offices often serve multiple functions beyond customer service, including engineering, artificial intelligence research, legal and regulatory compliance, public policy engagement, trust and safety operations, cloud computing, advertising, sales, and product development.
According to the senator, those countries deliberately positioned themselves to benefit from the rapidly expanding digital economy by creating an enabling environment for global technology companies to invest locally.
Using Ireland as an example, Nwoko noted that the presence of global technology giants such as Meta, Google, LinkedIn, TikTok, and X has transformed the country into one of Europe’s leading technology hubs through job creation, increased foreign direct investment, and technological innovation.
He questioned why Nigeria, widely regarded as Africa’s largest digital market, should continue to miss out on similar opportunities despite its large population, expanding internet penetration, and rapidly growing technology sector.
The lawmaker maintained that requiring global digital platforms to establish physical offices in Nigeria would create thousands of employment opportunities, improve regulatory engagement, strengthen tax compliance, encourage skills development, and accelerate the growth of the country’s digital economy.
Alongside the social media proposal, stakeholders also expressed strong support for a separate bill sponsored by Senator Yemi Adaramodu, which seeks to establish an Artificial Intelligence Academy in Omuo-Ekiti. The proposed institution is expected to serve as a national centre for artificial intelligence education, research, innovation, and technological development.
Following the public hearing, the Senate Committee on ICT and Cyber Security will review memoranda submitted by stakeholders before preparing its report for consideration by the full Senate.
If eventually passed into law, the legislation could reshape the relationship between Nigeria and some of the world’s largest technology companies, potentially leading to increased investment, stronger regulatory oversight, improved customer support, and greater participation of global digital firms in Nigeria’s fast-growing technology ecosystem.
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