Federal Government of Nigeria has asked the House of Representatives to enact laws to regulate social and online media in Nigeria.
Gatekeepers News reports that the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, at a public hearing on Wednesday, 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.”
The Minister, however, wants the commission to be able to regulate the online media in addition to other channels of broadcasting.
In his words: “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.”
Lai Mohammed
Media stakeholders at the public hearings however kicked against the move and asked the House panel to free the NBC from the Minister of Information.
Gatekeepers News reports that the Executive Director of the Institute for Media and Society, Akin Akingbulu said the commission should not receive directives from the minister.
He said: “The power to give directives to the commission, vested in the minister of information in section six should be removed and replaced with powers which include policy formulation for the broadcasting sector.”
Akingbulu added that the Minister should be involved in the “negotiation of international agreements, notifying the commission of the policy direction of government and ensuring that the independence of the commission is protected at all times.”
The International Press Centre (IPC) and the Centre for Media Law and Advocacy, in their joint submission, said the appointment of the NBC board should be subject to the confirmation of the national assembly.
“The conduct of the NBC has over time presented it as an extension of the minister of information and culture which rarely acts independently,” they said.
The Nigerian Government’s move comes days after suspending Twitter operations in the country and re-echoes concerns that President Buhari administration is clamping down on free speech and internet freedom.
