Breaking: The Nigerian government has lifted the ban on Twitter activities

The Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN), through Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, CCIE, chairman of the Technical Committee Nigeria-Twitter Engagement and director-general of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has announced that President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, has approved the lifting of the suspension of Twitter operations in Nigeria, which will take effect at 12am tonight, January 13, 2022.

The approval came when the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof Isa Ali Ibrahim, wrote a memo to the President. In the Memo, the Minister updated and requested the President’s consent for the lifting based on the proposal of the Technical Committee Nigeria-Twitter Engagement.

You may recall that the FGN suspended the operation of the social media site on June 5, 2021, following a statement by the Honourable Minister of Information and Culture, Alh Lai Mohammed.

Following that, the President formed a seven-member Presidential Committee to engage Twitter Inc. Following that, the Presidential Committee, in its wisdom, established a 20-member Technical Committee comprised of all relevant government departments. The Technical Committee interacted and collaborated closely with the crew of the social network.

The immediate and remote cause of the suspension was the platform’s continued usage by some unscrupulous groups for subversive and criminal goals, such as spreading fake news and polarizing Nigerians along tribal and religious lines, among other things.

These difficulties including national security, cohesion, and the consequences of Twitter platform misuse compelled the FGN to stop the operation of the social networking platform in order to address the direct and collateral issues surrounding its activities in Nigeria.

The new global reality is that digital platforms and their operators exert great power over our society’s fabric, social interactions, and economic decisions. These platforms can function as both a tool and a weapon. Every country is wrestling with how to efficiently balance its utilization. Every citizen’s security, privacy, social well-being, and progress are jeopardized if there is no balance.

“Therefore, our action is a deliberate attempt to recalibrate our relationship with Twitter to achieve the maximum mutual benefits for our nation without jeopardising the justified interests of the Company. Our engagement has been very respectful, cordial, and successful,” the Chairman stated.

The process of overcoming this deadlock between the FGN and Twitter Inc. has contributed to the establishment of a mutually advantageous future with limitless potential.

Twitter is a popular tool for many Nigerians, ranging from youthful entrepreneurs to public-sector officials who use it to engage with audiences. As a result of our involvement, Twitter will be able to improve and develop more business models in order to reach a larger audience in Nigeria.

Furthermore, the FGN is looking forward to creating a favorable environment for Twitter and other global technology businesses to realize their full potential and remain profitable in Nigeria.

While expressing gratitude to all Nigerians, particularly the bright Nigerian youngsters who have endured the lengthy wait to resolve this impasse, the FGN is pleased to report that the benefits of this shared national sacrifice are immense. Among the benefits are:

• Ongoing economic and training opportunities as the Company continues to consider expanding its presence in Nigeria;
• Getting a better understanding of how to use the Twitter platform effectively to improve businesses;
• Revenue generation from the operation of Twitter in Nigeria;
• Smooth and coordinated relationship between Nigerian Government and Twitter leading to mutual trust;
• Reduction of cybercriminal activities such as terrorism, cyberstalking, hate speech, etc.; and
• Working with Twitter and other global companies to build an acceptable code of conduct following the global best practice.

Before reinstating its services, the FGN has ordered the social networking platform to meet certain conditions. In accordance with Nigerian regulations, these criteria addressed the legal registration of operations, taxation, and the management of forbidden publications. Twitter has agreed to comply with all of the FGN’s requirements.

As a result, the FGN and Twitter have agreed on a timeframe for execution, which began this week. Our collaboration with Twitter ushers in a new chapter in global digital diplomacy and establishes a new operational blueprint for Twitter to return stronger for the benefit of Nigerians.

The resolutions reached with Twitter Inc. are as follows:

1. Twitter has committed to establishing a legal entity in Nigeria during the first quarter of 2022. The legal entity will register with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). The establishment of the entity is Twitter’s first step in demonstrating its long-term commitment to Nigeria
2. Twitter has agreed to appoint a designated country representative to interface with Nigerian authorities. The Global Public Policy team is also directly available through a dedicated communication channel
3. Twitter has agreed to comply with applicable tax obligations on its operations under Nigerian law
4. Twitter has agreed to enroll Nigeria in its Partner Support and Law Enforcement Portals. The Partner Support Portal provides a direct channel for government officials and Twitter staff to manage prohibited content that violates Twitter community rules. At the same time, the Law Enforcement Portal provides a channel for the law enforcement agencies to submit a report with a legal justification where it suspects that content violates Nigerian Laws. Taken together, these represent a comprehensive compliance apparatus
5. Twitter has agreed to act with a respectful acknowledgement of Nigerian laws and the national culture and history on which such legislation has been built and work with the FGN and the broader industry to develop a Code of Conduct in line with global best practices, applicable in almost all developed countries

As a result, the FGN removes the prohibition of social platform operations in Nigeria effective midnight on January 13, 2022. “We encourage all Twitter users to maintain ethical behavior and to refrain from pushing controversial, dangerous, or disagreeable content on the network.” As patriotic citizens, we must remember that anything criminal outdoors is also prohibited online, and that committing a crime while using a Nigerian Internet Protocol (IP) is the same as committing a crime within our jurisdiction.”

Given Twitter’s impact on our democracy, economy, and the very fabric of our corporate existence as a Nation, our aim should be to adapt rather than prohibit Twitter.

The FGN is dedicated to collaborating with Twitter to do everything necessary to assist Nigerians in aligning and navigating Twitter’s algorithmic architecture in order to realize its promise while avoiding its risks.

In his approval, the President thanked the Presidential Committee, led by the Honourable Minister of Information and Culture, Alh Lai Mohammed, for supervising and advising the Technical Committee during the engagement.

Similarly, the Presidential Committee applauds the Technical Committee for its professional, robust, and fruitful collaboration with Twitter Inc. It also expresses gratitude to the Government Regulatory Agencies and Internet Service Providers that carried with the FGN’s directions throughout the suspension.