Federal Government, through the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) on Monday issued new codes for Internet and Social media platforms operating in Nigeria.
The code mandates all Internet platforms to
“register with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and appoint a designated
country representative to interface with Nigerian authorities.”
It also mandates them comply with all
regulatory demands and all tax obligations applicable their operations under
Nigerian law.
As regards to content moderation, NITDA said
Internet platforms must ensure prohibited and harmful contents are not
published on their platforms.
“Internet platforms must provide a
comprehensive compliance mechanism to avoid publication of prohibited contents
and unethical behaviour on their platform, provide information to authorities
on harmful accounts, suspected botnets, troll groups, and other coordinated
disinformation networks and deleting any information that violates Nigerian law
within an agreed time.”
According to the statement which was signed by NITDA
spokesperson, Hadiza Umar, the new regulations with developed in collaboration
with the Nigerian Communications Commission and the National Broadcasting
Commission, and it is targeted at protecting the fundamental human rights of
Nigerians and non-Nigerians living in Nigeria.
“The 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 amongst others.
“Other relevant stakeholders with peculiar
knowledge in this area were consulted such as Civil Society Organizations and
expert groups. The results of this consultations were duly incorporated into
the Draft Code of Practice.
“The new code was designed to
protect the “fundamental human rights of Nigerians and non-Nigerians living in
the country as well as define guidelines for interacting on the digital
ecosystem.”
The draft codes of practice notes
that Internet platforms must promptly obey court orders directing it to provide
“information under its domain or any assistance to any authorised government.”
On December 21, 2021, Nigeria`s Senate passed Finance Bill, 2022 which mandates Google, Twitter, Facebook, NetFlix to pay tax in Nigeria.
In compliance with the law, Google started charging its Nigerian users 7.5% V.A.T
