Senator Ned Nwoko, representing Delta North Senatorial District, has sponsored a bill that could potentially create jobs for at least 200,000 Nigerian youths.
The bill, which aims to amend the Nigerian Data Protection Act, 2023, mandates social media platforms like TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), and others to establish physical offices in Nigeria.
According to Nwoko, the bill is long overdue, as the country has allowed big tech companies to operate freely without accountability.
“We have millions of young, talented Nigerians looking for jobs. These social media companies are employing thousands of people in other countries, yet they ignore our people,” he said.
The bill seeks to ensure that social media platforms and online businesses register in Nigeria, pay taxes, and create jobs for Nigerians. Nwoko noted that Nigeria loses at least $10 billion in taxes annually due to the refusal of these companies to set up offices in the country.
Additionally, the bill proposes regulating bloggers and digital content creators in Nigeria. Every blogger would be required to have a registered, verifiable address and belong to a recognized media union.
Nwoko’s proposal has sparked interest, as Nigeria had previously mandated Twitter to establish an office in the country in 2021.
However, this was not complied with until Twitter was sold to Elon Musk in 2022. Currently, Meta is the only social media company with a physical presence in Nigeria.
The bill is expected to have far-reaching implications for Nigeria’s digital economy and job creation.