Nigeria Wants Broadcasting Act Amended to Regulate Social Media

The Nigerian government is taking steps to further stifle the country’s civic space with its Minister of information and Culture, Lai Mohammed asking members of parliament to include internet broadcasting under the control of the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC).

Mr Mohammed made the position of the federal government known in his submission during a public hearing on a bill to amend the NBC Act. The public hearing was organised by the House of Representatives.

Should the Nigerian parliament pass the bill with the recommendations of the minister, online broadcasting organisations in the country will have to get approval from the NBC before operating. They will also be mandated to act within the control of the Nigerian State.

According to the minister, all online and internet broadcasting entities should be included in section two (c) of the bill.

Section two (b) of the NBC act states: “(1) The Commission shall have [the] responsibility of: Receiving, processing and considering applications for the establishment, ownership or operation of radio and television stations including (i) cable television services, direct satellite broadcast and any other medium of broadcasting.”

The minister said, “I want to add here specifically that internet broadcasting and all online media should be included in this because we have a responsibility to monitor contents, including Twitter.”

Also at the public hearing were media stakeholders who kicked against the move. They were of the view that the minister’s submissions will be injurious to the civics space, freedom of expression and media freedom in Nigeria.

“The inclusion of the following among categories of broadcasting services licences will be injurious to the civics space, freedom of expression and media freedom in Nigeria,” Akin Akingbulu, the Executive Director of the Institute for Media and Society, said at the public hearing.

“The power to give directives to the commission, vested in the minister of information in section six should be removed and replaced with powers which include policy formulation for the broadcasting sector, the negotiation of international agreements, notification of the policy direction of government and ensuring that the independence of the commission is protected at all times,” he added.

The International Press Centre (IPC) and the Centre for Media Law and Advocacy in a joint statement said the NBC should be truly independent and not be seen as an offshoot of the information ministry.

“The conduct of the NBC has over time presented it as an extension of the minister of information and culture which rarely acts independently,” Executive Director of IPC, Lanre Arogundade said while presenting the statement on behalf of the groups.

This move by the Nigerian government comes barely two weeks after it announced the ban of Twitter, a few days after the microblogging site removed a tweet by President Muhammadu Buhari for breaching its rules.

President Buhari’s administration has since then been exploring several avenues to regulate the media and especially social media.

The federal government has also announced that all social media companies must also be registered with the government to operate in Nigeria.

By Abel Ejikeme

Follow us on:

Abel Ejikeme

Recent Posts

President Tinubu Names Daniel Bwala Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Appoints New DGs for Agencies

President Tinubu has appointed Daniel Bwala as Special Adviser on Media and Public Communications, urging…

2 hours ago

FCDA Executive Secretary Hadi Ahmad Suspended Indefinitely

The Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority, Shehu Hadi Ahmad, has been suspended…

2 hours ago

German Consul General Börner Calls for Greater Media Freedom in Nigeria

German Consul General Börner stressed media freedom’s importance, noting Nigeria’s 112th press freedom rank and…

6 hours ago

FG Approves 2025-2026 MTEF, Targets N47.9trn For 2025

The Federal Executive Council approved Nigeria’s 2025-2027 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework, setting the federal budget at…

7 hours ago

Michael Oglegba: Benue State Is Embracing Mechanisation to Transform Agriculture

Benue State’s Commissioner for Finance has emphasised the need for farming to evolve from a…

7 hours ago

Government Should Conduct Forensic Audit Before Funding Power Sector; NNPC Probe Long Overdue, Says Abdullahi Shinkafi

Dr. Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi has called for overdue NNPC investigation and forensic audits in the…

11 hours ago