Nigeria: Tech giants Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram must register to operate in the country - Lai Mohammed

On Wednesday, the Nigeria’s federal government insisted that all Over The Top (OTT) platforms, such as Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram, must register with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and be licensed by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to continue operating in the country.

It also rolled out conditions that Twitter must fulfill before the suspension of its operations in Nigeria could be lifted.

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, while briefing State House correspondents after a Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja, also said Twitter had reached out to the federal government for talks on resolving the issues that led to the suspension of its operations in Nigeria.

However, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) doubled down on mobilising pressure on the federal government to reverse the suspension with a plea to the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Saudi Arabia and others to impose a visa ban on President Muhammadu Buhari and Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, and other cabinet members involved in stifling free speech in Nigeria.

the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has urged Nigeria to immediately reverse the suspension of Twitter, saying it is tantamount to opposing free speech.

Mohammed said Twitter yesterday morning reached out to the federal government, calling for a high-level discussion to resolve its operation suspension issue.

He said: “Yes, it is true they’ve made, reached…only this morning I got, you know, communication that yes, they are now ready to hold senior-level discussions with us. Just now, I just confirmed with my colleague now. Yes, we just got the information now.“

Asked whether the government will hold the discussion with Twitter, Mohammed replied: “Why not? We will. But our conditions are already laid out to you. One, to do business in Nigeria, they must register as a Nigerian company. Two, they must be licensed and three, they will have to refrain from using the platform for activities that are inimical to the growth of Nigeria, to the corporate existence of Nigeria.

“From there, any other issue can come up. We already talked to them.”

He stated that the microblogging platform was suspended because it provided an avenue for people threatening the corporate existence of Nigeria.

He also accused Twitter founder, Mr. Jack Dorsey, of helping to fund last October’s #EndSARS protest while allowing the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, to use the platform to call for the killing of policemen.

He said Twitter failed to take down Kanu’s tweets despite repeated requests to do so.

He listed conditions that must be met even if there is a discussion with Twitter to include that it must now be registered in Nigeria as a business concern.

Apart from Twitter, he said other social media platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram must now be registered in the country.

According to him, there is no infringement on freedom of speech with the suspension of Twitter because Nigerians can still use other platforms such as Facebook and Instagram.

He said: “So, whether he donated money himself or helped to raise money, the Twitter owner is one of those who helped to fund the #EndSARS protests that were later hijacked leading to loss of lives and massive destruction of property.

“Like I said last Wednesday, you can see from the fact-checking, the role of Jack Dorsey is suspect. His interest in Nigeria is inimical to our growth.

“Our decision to suspend Twitter has been lauded by some, it has been decried by some. But we want to make it clear that what is important to us is the sovereignty of Nigeria.

“And until when Twitter responds and the cardinal thing is that Twitter must be registered in Nigeria. Twitter must be licensed in Nigeria and Twitter must stop using its platform for activities that are inimical to the growth of Nigeria and its corporate existence.”

the joint Minority Caucus of the Senate and the House of Representatives has called on Nigerians to ignore the Twitter suspension.

The lawmakers described the suspension as draconian as it has resulted in the loss of sources of livelihood for many Nigerians.

The Minority Leader of the Senate, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, and Minority Leader of the House, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, in a joint statement said the joint caucus “restates its condemnation of the embargo as draconian and unacceptable.”

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The caucus also dismissed threats by the federal government to arrest and prosecute Nigerians for using Twitter, calling on Nigerians to “go ahead and use their Twitter (handles) as they would not be contravening any law in Nigeria or any international statute.”

The lawmakers cited the provisions of Articles 19 and 20 of the United Nations Charter on Fundamental Human Rights, which Nigeria is a signatory to, as well as provisions of Sections 39 and 36 (12) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), stating that “by these provisions, no one will be violating any law for using Twitter in Nigeria.”

It added: “As lawmakers, the joint caucus is pained by the anguish Nigerians, especially the youths, who find the use of Twitter as a means of livelihood and genuine social interaction, are passing through just because the APC-led federal government feels slighted that an individual’s post was deleted by Twitter for an ethical violation.

“The joint caucus, therefore, calls on Nigerians to use various opportunities offered by technology and continue making use of Twitter since such does not violate any law in our country.

“It is agonising that Nigeria and Nigerians have been losing billions of naira on a daily basis since the ban on Twitter. This is completely unacceptable as it is worsening the already biting economic hardship and frightening unemployment level in the country.”