SOCIAL MEDIA CONTROL: SERAP Asks National Assembly To Reject And Withdrawal the Nigeria Data Protection Amendment Bill
A Human Rights Organization in Nigeria, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on the Nigeria's National Assembly to immediately reject and withdraw the Nigeria Data Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2026According to SERAP, the Bill is a backdoor attempt to regulate social media and expand governmental control over online expression, which is incompatible with international human rights standards.APC leadership which rode to power with effective use of social media platforms in 2015 has been struggling endlessly since Major Gen. Muhammad Buahri days to subjugate and control the Social Media and how people use them in the country. Nigerians were banned from using Twitter now X under the anti people Leadership of buhari. Bola Tinubu has continue in his steady, inflicting more harsh economic policies on the masses yet want to control the Social Media through a backdoor bill.
SERAP: "We've urged the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas to immediately reject and withdraw the Nigeria Data Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2026, as the Bill is a backdoor attempt to regulate social media and expand governmental control over online expression, which is incompatible with international human rights standards."
"The Bill, sponsored by Senator Ned Nwoko (APC, Delta North), seeks to compel social media platforms, data controllers and data processors operating in Nigeria to establish physical offices in the country, and empowers the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) to shut down or prohibit the operations of any entity that fails to comply within 30 days."
SERAP argued that 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 Bill would create sweeping powers capable of shutting down or excluding social media platforms from the Nigerian market and expose millions of Nigerians to serious violations of their constitutionally and internationally guaranteed human rights.
"The Bill follows earlier attempts by the National Assembly to regulate social media that generated widespread public opposition and serious human rights concerns."
"The current Bill revives substantially similar proposals previously introduced by Senator Nwoko, raising renewed concerns that localisation requirements are being used as a vehicle for expanding governmental control over digital platforms and online expression."
Should the Bill be enacted into law in its current or substantially similar form, SERAP shall promptly take all appropriate legal actions to challenge its legality in the public interest and to ensure that Nigerians’ fundamental rights are fully protected.
A Human Rights Organization in Nigeria, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on the Nigeria's National Assembly to immediately reject and withdraw the Nigeria Data Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2026According to SERAP, the Bill is a backdoor attempt to regulate social media and expand governmental control over online expression, which is incompatible with international human rights standards.APC leadership which rode to power with effective use of social media platforms in 2015 has been struggling endlessly since Major Gen. Muhammad Buahri days to subjugate and control the Social Media and how people use them in the country. Nigerians were banned from using Twitter now X under the anti people Leadership of buhari. Bola Tinubu has continue in his steady, inflicting more harsh economic policies on the masses yet want to control the Social Media through a backdoor bill.
SERAP: "We've urged the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas to immediately reject and withdraw the Nigeria Data Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2026, as the Bill is a backdoor attempt to regulate social media and expand governmental control over online expression, which is incompatible with international human rights standards."
"The Bill, sponsored by Senator Ned Nwoko (APC, Delta North), seeks to compel social media platforms, data controllers and data processors operating in Nigeria to establish physical offices in the country, and empowers the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) to shut down or prohibit the operations of any entity that fails to comply within 30 days."
SERAP argued that 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 Bill would create sweeping powers capable of shutting down or excluding social media platforms from the Nigerian market and expose millions of Nigerians to serious violations of their constitutionally and internationally guaranteed human rights.
"The Bill follows earlier attempts by the National Assembly to regulate social media that generated widespread public opposition and serious human rights concerns."
"The current Bill revives substantially similar proposals previously introduced by Senator Nwoko, raising renewed concerns that localisation requirements are being used as a vehicle for expanding governmental control over digital platforms and online expression."
Should the Bill be enacted into law in its current or substantially similar form, SERAP shall promptly take all appropriate legal actions to challenge its legality in the public interest and to ensure that Nigerians’ fundamental rights are fully protected.
