ADC rejects social media shutdown bill

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has rejected the proposed Social Media Shutdown Bill currently before the National Assembly, describing it as an attempt by a “scared government” to censor Nigerians ahead of the 2027 elections.

In a post on X by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC said the bill shows the level of confidence the Tinubu administration has in its own record.

“The proposed Social Media Shutdown Bill working its way through the All Progressives Congress (APC)-dominated National Assembly tells us everything that we need to know about how confident the Tinubu government is about its chances in 2027,” Abdullahi said.

“A government that is confident in its record does not spend its time looking for new ways to control where Nigerians can speak. It spends its time giving Nigerians something to applaud.

“Every scared government eventually reaches for the same playbook: dress censorship up as regulation, call it reform, and hope that nobody notices.

“This bill deserves to be rejected by all Nigerians, not because it threatens social media companies, but because it threatens every Nigerian’s right to speak freely.”

The ADC’s position comes as the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) also urged the National Assembly to withdraw the bill seeking to compel social media platforms and bloggers operating in Nigeria to establish physical offices with verifiable addresses in the country.

In a letter dated 18 July and addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, SERAP warned that the legislation could lead to the exclusion or shutdown of social media platforms and violate the rights of millions of Nigerians.

“The Bill would create sweeping powers capable of shutting down or excluding social media platforms from the Nigerian market and exposing ‘millions of Nigerians to serious violations of their constitutionally and internationally guaranteed human rights,” the letter signed by SERAP Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, read.

The bill, sponsored by Delta North Senator Ned Nwoko, passed second reading in the Senate in March 2025 and was referred to the Senate Committee on ICT and Cyber Security for further work and public hearing. The committee is yet to report back.

During debate, Senator Nwoko said the proposal was intended to ensure digital businesses contribute to Nigeria’s revenue through taxation and not to target social media platforms.

He argued that the absence of physical offices for social media companies in Nigeria has created challenges including limited local representation for resolving user complaints, difficulties in managing Nigeria-specific content, loss of economic opportunities and jobs, and weak regulatory compliance.

Several senators backed the proposal, insisting it was aimed at boosting government revenue.

SERAP, however, warned that requiring technology companies to establish local offices would increase government leverage and make censorship easier.

“Requirements compelling technology companies to establish local offices would increase government leverage over platforms, facilitate political pressure, make censorship demands easier and expose local employees to retaliation,” the organisation said.

“The National Assembly should avoid imposing localisation requirements that unnecessarily burden digital services and undermine citizens’ rights. The bill constitutes a backdoor attempt to regulate social media and increase government control over online expression by imposing corporate localisation requirements rather than through transparent and constitutionally permissible regulation.”

SERAP called on the National Assembly to immediately reject and withdraw the bill, saying it is “manifestly incompatible with the Nigerian Constitution and Nigeria’s obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.”

The organisation added that the proposed amendment would hurt Nigeria’s digital economy and innovation ecosystem.

“The Bill would undermine the country’s digital economy, innovation ecosystem and international standing. Although the bill is presented as an amendment to the Nigeria Data Protection Act intended to improve regulatory compliance and consumer protection, its practical effect is far more expansive.

The proposed amendment threatens far more than the interests of technology companies. It directly affects the rights of millions of Nigerians who depend on digital platforms to exercise their rights to freedom of expression, receive and impart information, associate with others, participate in political life, conduct business, pursue education and engage in civic advocacy,” SERAP said.