NITDA, Nigeria’s National Information Technology Development Agency, has issued new rules for Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms in Nigeria.
On the list of things to be done by the agency was to tell Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to register with the CAC and remove what it deemed harmful accounts.
“Fundamental human rights of Nigerians and non-Nigerians living in the country, as well as guidelines for interacting on the digital ecosystem”, are the goals of the new code, according to NITDA spokesperson Hadiza Umar.
In order to interact with Nigerian authorities, the code mandates that Internet platforms “register with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and appoint a designated country representative.”
The code also mandates that they adhere to all applicable Nigerian laws and regulations, as well as all applicable tax obligations.
A comprehensive compliance mechanism must be provided by Internet platforms to prevent the publication of prohibited content and unethical behaviour on their platform, according to NITDA.
As a result, they must “provide information to authorities on harmful accounts, suspected botnets, troll groups, and other coordinated disinformation networks” as well as “delete any information that violates Nigerian law within an agreed period.”
New rules were “developed in collaboration with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), as well as input from Interactive Computer Service Platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Google and Tik Tok among others,” according to NITDA.
“Other relevant stakeholders, such as civil society organizations and expert groups, were also consulted.” In the Draft Code of Practice, the results of these consultations have been appropriately incorporated.
According to a draft Code of Practice, Internet platforms must comply with court orders requiring them to provide “information under its domain or any assistance to any authorised government.”
We don’t know how the new rules are going to be implemented yet.
In June 2021, Twitter was suspended in Nigeria for several months after President Muhammadu Buhari’s tweet was deleted by the social media network.
The administration of Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari has sought to enact stricter laws governing the Internet, particularly social media networks.
