SERAP Urges Akpabio, Abbas to Reject Data Protection Amendment Bill, 2026

…says Bill is “Backdoor Attempt to Regulate Social Media”
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‎The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, has urged the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, to immediately reject and withdraw the Nigeria Data Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2026.
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‎In a statement on Sunday, SERAP said the Bill is a backdoor attempt to regulate social media and expand governmental control over online expression, which is incompatible with international human rights standards.
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‎The Bill, sponsored by Senator Ned Nwoko, APC, Delta North, seeks to compel social media platforms, data controllers and data processors operating in Nigeria to establish physical offices in the country.
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‎It also empowers the Nigeria Data Protection Commission, NDPC, to shut down or prohibit the operations of any entity that fails to comply within 30 days.
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‎According to SERAP, 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.
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‎“The Bill would create sweeping powers capable of shutting down or excluding social media platforms from the Nigerian market and expose millions of Nigerians to serious violations of their constitutionally and internationally guaranteed human rights,” SERAP stated.
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‎The organisation noted that the Bill follows earlier attempts by the National Assembly to regulate social media that generated widespread public opposition and serious human rights concerns.
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‎SERAP added that the current Bill revives substantially similar proposals previously introduced by Senator Nwoko, raising renewed concerns that localisation requirements are being used as a vehicle for expanding governmental control over digital platforms and online expression.
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‎The group warned that should the Bill be enacted into law in its current or substantially similar form, SERAP shall promptly take all appropriate legal actions to challenge its legality in the public interest and to ensure that Nigerians’ fundamental rights are fully protected.