The federal government has asked the House of Representatives to enact a law to regulate social and online media in Nigeria.
At a public hearing organised by the house on Wednesday, the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, asked the lawmakers to amend the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) act to empower the agency to regulate social and online media.
The public hearing was organised by the house committee on information, national orientation, ethics and values on a bill to amend the NBC act.
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.”
Mohammed, however, wants the commission to also be able to regulate the online media in addition to other channels 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.”
Mohammed’s proposal comes about six days after the NBC asked all social media platforms and online broadcasting service providers operating in Nigeria to apply for a broadcast licence.
