Senate President Godswill Akpabio has clarified that the proposed legislation mandating social media platforms and bloggers to maintain physical offices in Nigeria does not appear, at first glance, to be an attempt to stifle free speech or gag online content creators.
Speaking on the floor of the Senate on Monday, March 18, 2025, as lawmakers debated the bill’s general principles, Akpabio remarked, “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
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) — passed its second reading after being presented by Senator Ned Nwoko (Delta North).
According to Nwoko, Nigeria ranks first in Africa and second globally in terms of time spent on social media, with an average user spending 3 hours and 46 minutes daily on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube. Yet, none of these companies currently have offices in Nigeria.
The bill aims to correct that by requiring social media companies operating in Nigeria to establish physical offices in the country. More notably, it extends this requirement to bloggers — mandating that they must have verifiable offices in any of Nigeria’s state capitals, maintain employee records, and register with a nationally recognized blogging association headquartered in Abuja.
While critics may interpret the move as an effort to tighten control over online content and commentary, Akpabio stressed that, so far, the provisions do not appear to target free expression. “It’s good to have an address, but bloggers are slightly different. I think the best thing is for the bill to go to public hearing for much more streamlined clarity,” he said.
Senator Nwoko, in his lead debate, insisted that the bill is about accountability, professionalism, and local economic benefits, not censorship. He argued that the absence of local offices means Nigeria is losing billions in tax revenue while also grappling with challenges in enforcing local laws and ensuring data privacy.
The bill has now been referred to the Senate Committee on ICT and Cyber Security, which is expected to hold public hearings and submit its report within two months.
For now, Senator Akpabio’s comments appear to signal an openness to public input and a commitment to ensuring that the legislation, if passed, balances regulation with the constitutional right to free speech.
