The Senate has advanced a critical bill to compel global social media giants operating in Nigeria to establish physical operations within the country. Stakeholders overwhelmingly backed the proposal on Thursday during a public hearing in Abuja organised by the Senate Committee on Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and Cyber Security.

The public hearing also received broad support for a separate, forward-looking bill seeking to establish an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Academy in Omuo-Ekiti, Ekiti State. Committee Chairman, Senator Shuaib Salisu (Ogun Central), declared that both pieces of legislation aim to strengthen Nigeria`s digital economy and drive rapid technological advancement.

Sponsored by Senator Ned Nwoko (Delta North), the social media legislation seeks to amend the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023. The amendment mandates that all foreign social media companies operating within Nigerian borders must establish and maintain physical offices in the country to ensure better regulatory compliance.

Meanwhile, the separate AI Academy bill is sponsored by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Publicity, Senator Yemi Adaramodu (Ekiti South). According to the committee, while the social media bill improves cyberspace protection, the proposed academy will serve as a premier centre of excellence for artificial intelligence education, research, and innovation.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio, represented by Deputy Senate Leader Senator Lola Ashiru (Kwara South), described both proposals as nationally significant. Akpabio clarified that the bill requiring physical offices is not intended to stifle tech innovations but rather to promote greater corporate accountability and engagement.

Defending the bill against economic anxieties, Senator Nwoko dismissed concerns that the proposed law could discourage foreign direct investments or target tech firms. He emphasized that the legislation is neither punitive nor hostile, but rather encourages global platforms to become true corporate citizens of Nigeria.

The lawmaker argued that nations with smaller populations and digital markets have successfully attracted global tech hubs, including the UK, UAE, South Africa, and Brazil. He noted that these local offices handle vital functions ranging from software engineering and cloud services to regulatory compliance, trust, safety, and local customer support.

Citing Ireland’s transformation into a European tech giant via Meta, Google, and TikTok, Nwoko insisted Africa’s largest digital market should enjoy similar job creation and tax revenues. The Senate Committee will now review all submitted stakeholder memoranda before presenting its final report for further legislative action.