The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the Senate President, Mr Godswill Akpabio, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Tajudeen Abbas, to reject the reintroduced social media regulation bill. If passed, the bill could severely limit the rights to freedom of expression and privacy in Nigeria. Vanguard News reported that SERAP is concerned that the bill would "criminalise the legitimate and lawful exercise of human rights."
The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) recently labelled social media as "a monster" and one of Nigeria's significant challenges. Still, SERAP's deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare, signed a letter dated 14 October 2023, stating that "the social media is neither Nigeria's problem nor a monster." He emphasised that any regulation would have arbitrary consequences and inflict material and human rights damages.
SERAP has warned that any attempt to regulate social media would go against the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] and the country's international human rights commitments. They also cautioned against a "digital siege" and urged the National Assembly to maximise the opportunities presented by social media access while addressing the country's growing socio-economic disparities.
Regulating social media in such a significant African nation could set a precedent for other countries, and the free flow of information, economic activities, and the realisation of various human rights are at stake for Nigerians and the world.
