Twitter Must Obtain NBC Licence, Pay Tax To Resume Operation In Nigeria – Lai Mohammed

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has said that among other things, Twitter must obtain a licence from the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC), be guided by the rules of the licensing and pay taxes. 

He said these were a few of the conditions that needed to be met in order for Twitter to be allowed to resume operation in Nigeria. 

“The suspension of Twitter is to ensure that no particular platform is used to cause war in Nigeria… Secondly, to ensure that whoever is making money in Nigeria must be made to pay tax”, he said. 

Mohammed said this during Radio Nigeria’s call-in programme ‘Politics Nationwide’ on Tuesday. 

He said Twitter had reached out to the government formally to speak on the issues that led to the indefinite ban on the social media service in Nigeria. 

“I can confirm that Twitter has written the Federal Government that they are ready to talk. As we have always maintained, the door is not locked and we are open-minded but Twitter must work toward it”, he said. 

According to the minister, the regulation of social media is not the same as stifling press freedom. 

“We must not confuse press freedom with irresponsibility. How can you stay in your country and allow your own platform to be used to propagate war in another country?

“We have no intention to stifle people’s freedom or to cut off the source of livelihood of anybody…. There must be a country devoid of war before we can talk of freedom and a source of living”, he said.

Mohammed said the regulation of social media platforms is getting increasingly common globally. 

“Singapore, Algeria, Pakistan, Turkey regulate the social media, Australia has done so… Even EU that does not have particular laws on social media has made recommendations in a white paper,” he said.

Mohammed said the Federal Cabinet of Pakistan approved a new set of rules to regulate social media.

According to the minister, in the rules, companies like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and TikTok were directed to register and open offices in Pakistan. 

THE WHISTLER reported that the minister had on June 4 announced that Twitter would be suspended indefinitely in Nigeria. 

He said the suspension was due to, “the persistent use of the platform for activities capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence”.