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Cabinet officials

Nigeria's Twitter Suspension: Government Insists on Registration and Licensing

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The federal government has reiterated that all Over The Top (OTT) platforms, including Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram, must register with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and be licensed by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to operate in Nigeria. The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, announced this after a Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja, while also outlining conditions for Twitter's operation in Nigeria to be lifted. Twitter must register as a Nigerian company, be licensed, and refrain from using its platform for activities inimical to Nigeria's growth.

The government's stance comes as the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged the international community to impose a visa ban on President Muhammadu Buhari, Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, and other cabinet members involved in stifling free speech in Nigeria. Meanwhile, the joint Minority Caucus of the Senate and the House of Representatives has called on Nigerians to continue using Twitter, stating that there is no law that prohibits its use in the country.

Key Takeaways:

  • The federal government has insisted that all OTT platforms, including Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram, must register with the CAC and be licensed by the NBC to operate in Nigeria.
  • Twitter must register as a Nigerian company, be licensed, and refrain from using its platform for activities inimical to Nigeria's growth for its operations in Nigeria to be lifted.
  • The PDP has urged the international community to impose a visa ban on President Muhammadu Buhari, Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, and other cabinet members involved in stifling free speech in Nigeria.
  • The joint Minority Caucus of the Senate and the House of Representatives has called on Nigerians to continue using Twitter, stating there is no law that prohibits its use in the country.
  • USAID has urged the federal government to immediately reverse the suspension of Twitter operations in Nigeria.
  • The government has cited the fact-checking done by online newspapers, accusing Twitter founder, Jack Dorsey, of helping to fund the #EndSARS protest.
  • The government has denied that the suspension is not effective, stating that Twitter is losing billions of naira every day as a result of the action.

Statistics:

  • There are nearly 40 million Twitter users in Nigeria.
  • Twitter accounts for billions of naira in daily loss to Nigeria due to the suspension.

Sources:

  • The federal government and Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed (This Day)
  • Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
  • United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
  • Joint Minority Caucus of the Senate and the House of Representatives (This Day)

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