By Riches Soberekon
The Nigerian Government, led by Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, has introduced a new Bill aimed at regulating digital platforms.
This proposed legislation, which has been presented to the National Assembly, intends to repeal and reenact the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) Act of 2004.
During a meeting at the headquarters of the NBC, the Director-General Balarabe Ilelah, in the presence of Mohammed Idris, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, referred to social media as a “monster” and stressed the necessity of this bill.
He highlighted that the current law does not grant the NBC the authority to oversee and regulate social media platforms.
Ilelah shared with the public that “a bill for an act to repeal and amend the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) act has been read for the first time on the floor of the National Assembly.”
Recognizing the urgency of addressing social media issues, he explained, “One of our major problems now is social media.Unless there is a law that allows NBC to address social media issues, the problem will persist in our daily lives in this country,” as reported by local media.
In 2023 alone, the NBC issued 1,238 warnings and imposed penalties on six different stations for violations of existing regulations, according to Ilelah.
These numbers highlight the significance of establishing clearer guidelines and regulations to ensure responsible use of digital platforms in Nigeria.
