Nigeria’s tech regulator, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has issued fresh warnings to Meta and X (formerly Twitter) for significantly breaching the country’s Internet Code of Practice and sanctions may soon follow.
Both platforms failed to submit their 2024 content moderation reports, a mandatory requirement under the Internet Code.
While Meta fulfilled other obligations such as incorporating locally and paying taxes.
X reportedly ignored all requirements, including registration, having a physical office, and appointing a compliance officer.
Though no sanctions are currently outlined in the Code, NITDA emphasized that non-compliance violates the NITDA Act and could result in penalties.
The agency is reportedly deliberating on the appropriate enforcement measures.
Other global platforms, such as LinkedIn, Google, and TikTok, showed comparatively stronger compliance, submitting moderation statistics and account action data, including content takedowns and user appeals.
The Internet Code, jointly issued by NITDA, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), and the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) in June 2022, aims to enforce content moderation, transparency and user protection.
It targets harmful content like deepfakes, revenge porn, and child abuse material, and demands disclosure of user identities in specific legal cases.
According to former Communications Minister Prof. Isa Pantami, the Code is intended to prevent tech giants from becoming more powerful than the government itself.
