Bloggers, Facebook, TikTok May Soon Require Physical Offices In Nigeria As Senate Bill Advances

A bill to alter the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023, to require social media companies to have physical offices in Nigeria has advanced through the Nigerian Senate.
The proposed law was introduced by Senator Ned Nwoko (Delta North) and is titled “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).”
Nigeria’s significant digital footprint was highlighted by Senator Nwoko during the bill’s presentation. He pointed out that, with over 220 million people, Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and the second-most popular country in the world for social media use.

He claimed that Nigerians spend three hours and forty-six minutes a day on the internet, citing a “Global Web Index” survey that was cited by “Business Insider Africa.”

He noted that despite this high level of participation, major social media companies such as Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, and 𝕏 do not have physical offices in Nigeria, in contrast to other nations.

The lack of local offices raises a number of issues, including poor representation, negative economic effects, and challenges in implementing laws and data protection policies, as Senator Nwoko pointed out.

New Rules for Bloggers
The bill adds new regulations for Nigerian bloggers in addition to social media sites.

In any of the nation’s capital cities, it requires all bloggers to: – Open a verified office; – Keep accurate personnel records. Be a member of an established national blogger association with its main office located in Abuja.

These steps are intended to improve accountability, openness, and professionalism in Nigeria’s digital media landscape, bringing it into line with norms seen in traditional media organizations, according to Senator Nwoko.

He explained that the measure aims to promote equity and acknowledge Nigeria’s position as a significant player in digital engagement rather than unfairly targeting social media platforms.

Senate President’s Viewpoint
Godswill Akpabio, the president of the Senate, emphasized the value of social media companies having local operations but warned that regulating bloggers required careful consideration.

“It’s nice to have an address, but bloggers are a little different,” he said. The best course of action, in my opinion, is for the measure to be given a second reading and then a public hearing for much more simplified clarity.

In order to create a framework for proper taxation and record-keeping for digital platforms operating in Nigeria, he clarified that the act should not be interpreted as an attempt to censor social media.

Senator Akpabio added: “We wait until it reaches the stage of public hearing because I was looking to see if it intends to gag bloggers, but I haven’t seen that.”

Within two months, the Senate Committee on ICT and Cybersecurity is anticipated to present its report on the measure.