After imposing and bringing the micro-blogging website, Twitter, to accept its terms and condition before regaining free access in the country, Nigeria Government says they are planning on doing the exact same thing on other social media platforms.
Speaking in Cairo at a meeting, Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed alongside his counterpart, Egypt Minister of Communication and Information Technology, Dr. Amir Talaat, disclosed this announcement.
Lai Mohammed mentioned that Nigeria is looking to impose the same conditions given to Twitter on all other social media platforms accessible in the country. Where he openly said and quoted according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
“Whatever applies to Twitter will apply to all other social media platforms, be it WhatsApp, Facebook or any other,” Whatsoever rules that made Twitter retrieve access to the country after seven will be applied to other social media platforms.
Seven months ago, Nigeria Government banned the micro-blogging platform, Twitter citing various reasons behind the closure, and attempts to arrest any Nigerian found using VPN to access the platform, which they later uphold from functioning.
Immediately after the ban, different bodies within and outside the country questioned the leaders, and the aim of banning such a high-revenue source of income for the country, where former US President supported the decision by the Nigeria Government.
However, fast-forward to seven months later, the Government publicly lifts the Twitter ban, claiming that the company meets all of its requirements, such as a local office in Nigeria, addressing concerns over its tax payments, and “managing prohibited publication in line with Nigerian law.”
Lai Mohammed, alongside Talaat, mentioned that Nigeria was amending its National Broadcasting Act and Broadcasting Code to ensure that all online platforms operating in Nigeria comply with stipulated conditions, as was done with Twitter.
He also went ahead to add that the reason behind Twitter suspension in Nigeria was totally based on the fact that it had become the platform of choice for those who wanted to destabilize Nigeria, create disunity, and heat the polity.
At the initial stage of the Twitter suspension, He said that people hit back at the decision to suspend Twitter but the Nigerian government was certain they were doing the right thing, and after 7 months of suspension, Twitter met the conditions they were given.
He went ahead to mention that all the requirements are all laid out clearly and that the company has begun putting the requirements in place, advance within the country, he even cited them all out:
*. Twitter has agreed to comply with all payable taxes as they are operating under the Nigerian laws and this they agreed to do within one week of restoring their operations.
*. Twitter agreed to appoint a designated country representative within one month of lifting its suspension while its global policy team would also be available to engage directly with the government.
*. Agreed to open their Nigerian office within the first quarter of 2022.
*. Twitter agreed to meet all regulatory demands, including the Companies and Allied Matters Act, Nigeria Communication Commission laws and rules, and National Broadcasting Commission Code.
He added: “Twitter has agreed to comply with all payable taxes as they are operating under the Nigerian laws and this they agreed to do within one week of restoring their operations.
“Twitter agreed to immediately work with the Federal Government in the area of code of conduct which is in line with global best practices.
“Twitter agreed to immediately enroll Nigerians in its Law Enforcement portals and Partners Support Portal.
“The law enforcement portal will provide dedicated channels for the Nigerian law enforcement agencies to escalate reports on contents that violate the code of conduct or the national laws.
“Similarly, the partner support portal provides a direct channel for the government to engage Twitter staff to manage prohibited contents.”
Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed via News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Well, as the case may stand, that isn’t the only operational condition Nigeria Government is planning on imposing on social media platforms. Recently the Government said that companies such as Twitter, Amazon, AliExpress, etc will pay 6% tax on profits made from Nigerian customers.
