Social media platforms must establish offices in Nigeria – Ned Nwoko

The lawmaker representing Delta North Senatorial District, Sen. Ned Nwoko, (PDP -Delta) has canvassed for the various social media platforms (YouTube Facebook Instagram Twitter etc) to have offices in Nigeria.

Nwoko made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Sunday.

Nwoko said that the presence of major social media platforms in the country was essential for fostering economic growth, job creation, efficient dispute resolution, and revenue generation for the nation.

According to him, Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation with more than 200 million people, actively engages with popular social media platforms.

“These multinational social platforms widely used in Nigeria include, but are not limited to, Facebook, X, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, Snapchat, and TikTok.

“In spite of the substantial usage of these social media platforms by Nigerians within the country, these companies have yet to establish offices in Nigeria,” Nwoko said.

He said that there were success stories of other multinational corporations, such as the MTN Group, Shell, Chevron, Nestle, Total, P&G, and others, which have established operations in Nigeria, contributing significantly to the nation’s economic growth and technological advancement.

“However, notably absent is their presence in Nigeria, a nation globally ranked second in Internet and social media usage,” Nwoko said.

He recalled that in 2022, the Federal Government through the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), mandated all online platforms to register and open offices in Nigeria, and appoint contact persons with the government.

Nwoko also recalled that in June 2021, the Nigerian Government suspended Twitter (now X) after it removed a post by former President Muhammadu Buhari.

“However, the ban was later lifted after the social media platform agreed to open a local office, among other agreements.

The lawmaker said though the multinational social platforms maintain offices in several countries like the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, India, Singapore, Australia, Brazil, and others, there is none in Nigeria.

He explained that this strategy aims to cater to their user bases, manage regional content policies, cultivate local partnerships, and address specific market needs and concerns.

Nwoko expressed concern that the absence of offices for social media platforms in Nigeria poses issues of limited local representation.

“Addressing specific issues or concerns relevant to Nigeria takes a longer time and is less effectively handled due to distance and potential cultural or regulatory gaps.

“The lack of proximity also results in slower responses to user complaints, regulatory inquiries, or content moderation issues specific to Nigeria.

“Also missed economic opportunities as these platforms typically employ a diverse range of professionals, from technical roles to customer support, content moderation, marketing, legal, and managerial positions,” he said.

He said that the absence of these social media offices in the country poses difficulty resolving legal or regulatory issues pertaining to content, data privacy, or user rights.

Nwoko therefore called on the ministries of Communication and Digital Economy, and Foreign Affairs to engage actively with the multinational social media platforms to encourage the establishment of offices in Nigeria.

He said that the potential economic benefits, job creation, and the enhancement of local engagement from establishing the offices in the nation could not be over-emphadised.

Nwoko urged NITDA to monitor compliance with existing regulations requiring online platforms to register and open offices in Nigeria, and ensure that social media platforms adhere to these requirements for the benefit of Nigerian users and the economy.

He called on the Nigerian Communication Commission to collaborate with relevant stakeholders and develop guidelines or incentives that encourage social media platforms to establish offices in Nigeria.

Nwoko also stressed the need for the Senate Committee on Establishment and Public Services to conduct a comprehensive review and assessment of the benefits of having social media platform offices in Nigeria.

Nwoko called on the Senate committees on Communication, Foreign Affairs, Media and Public Affairs and other pertinent committees to periodically review the progress made in engaging these social media platforms and report back to the Senate for evaluation and further legislative actions.