The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, has urged the National Assembly to withdraw the proposed Nigeria Data Protection Amendment Bill 2026, warning that it could restrict social media freedom and online expression.
In a letter to Senate President Godswill Akpabio and House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, SERAP said the bill could give regulators excessive powers over digital platforms.
The proposed legislation seeks to require social media platforms, data controllers and data processors operating in Nigeria to establish physical offices in the country and allows the Nigeria Data Protection Commission to shut down entities that fail to comply.
SERAP argued that the measure could expose technology companies to undue government pressure and affect millions of Nigerians who rely on digital platforms for communication, business, education and access to information.
The organisation also warned that the bill lacks adequate safeguards such as judicial oversight and appeal mechanisms before any platform can be prohibited from operating.
SERAP called on lawmakers to withdraw the bill and pursue data protection measures that safeguard privacy without undermining freedom of expression or Nigeria’s growing digital economy.
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