The Nigerian House of Representatives has demanded that the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) require all Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in the country to instantly shut down websites featuring crude or explicit content.
Lawmakers further instructed the NCC to use the Nigerian Communications Act and the National Information Technology Development Act to penalize any ISPs that don’t follow the order.
The rulings emerged after the House embraced a motion labelled “Urgent Call to Stop Internet Sites with Explicit Material and Punish Non-Compliant Internet Providers,” brought forward by Rep. Dalhatu Tafoki during Tuesday’s meeting in Abuja.
While presenting his case, Tafoki stressed that offensive online content is ballooning into a major issue, and Nigeria has been sluggish in rolling out effective solutions to tackle it.
He underscored that Nigeria cherishes its faith-based principles, with every prominent religion in the land condemning shameless behaviour and lewd displays.
The lawmaker went on to mention that numerous countries across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East have already rolled out regulations to halt the circulation and viewing of such content within their borders.
He said: “Concerned deeply that some of the immediate effects of viewing pornographic contents include causing deception in marriage and which may later on, affect family life, promoting adultery, prostitution and many unreal expectations that can result in dangerous promiscuous behaviour; leading to addiction, escalation, desensitization and acting out sexually by one person, change of attitude towards oneself and his family.
Tafoki highlighted cautions from esteemed experts in mental health and social studies about the damaging impact such material can have on a person’s psyche and community ties.
The House approved the motion, assigning its Committees on Communications and Legislative Compliance to monitor enforcement and deliver a report within four weeks for further action by the assembly.
