A Bill that mandates social media companies to establish brick & mortar locations in Nigeria first read in November 2024, has passed for a second reading at the Senate.

Senator Ned Munir Nwoko, the sponsor of the bill, is currently projecting an argument on the need for Nigeria to protect its digital sovereignty while boosting the economy. More so, to apply better regulation for online platforms.

The proposed legislation, “A Bill for an Act to Alter the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023” is in pursuit of an amendment of an existing act that will “Mandate the Establishment of Physical Offices within the Territorial Boundaries of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by Social Media Platforms, and for Related Matters, 2024.”

If passed social media companies would have mandatory physical offices in Nigeria.

Social Media Companies in Nigeria

Nwoko’s argument was constructed on the backdrops of an unfair system that has allowed multinational companies to get away without enhancing the economy with their tech capabilities.

The senator said, “Nigeria ranks first in Africa and second globally in daily social media usage, yet these multinational companies operate here without any physical presence.”

From an economic perspective, Nwoko said that Nigeria is denied the benefits of job creation in areas such as customer service, content moderation, legal compliance, and marketing. “Imagine the thousands of young Nigerians who could be employed by these companies, gaining valuable skills and contributing to our economy.”

As tech giants, the senator points out the benefits of their presence to Nigeria. “Countries like China and South Korea became leaders in electronics and automobile manufacturing by fostering local partnerships with foreign firms and adapting their technologies.”

More so, he said, “If these social media giants establish a local presence, Nigerian engineers, developers, and tech professionals will have the opportunity to learn from some of the best minds in the world and adapt cutting-edge technologies.”

There are also legal aspects to the absence of multinational tech offices in Nigeria.

“Without physical offices in Nigeria, enforcing data protection laws, resolving disputes, and safeguarding user rights becomes a complex process.”

Nwoko further xplains that the bill has the potential to simplify the process settling legal disputes and responding to the needs Nigerian users when it becomes necessary.