Nelson Dimas


The 2019 version of an anti-social media bill has been read for the second time on the floor of the Nigerian Senate, paving the way for its passage into law.The government now wants to impose an edit button.

Political, anti-government speech is expected to be under particular scrutiny. Penalties for breaking the social media law include a fine of up to N300,000 or three years imprisonment for individuals and N10 million for corporate organizations.

The social media has become an information highway for people to express themselves, obtain information and share that information instantly and with ease. It has become the medium for communication and information which has enhanced democracy by allowing citizens to participate in governance easily.Twitter and Facebook groups have further allowed people with similar interests to interact for various reasons from the emotional and serious to the mundane.

this piece of legislation seeks to limit freedom of expression, association and to some extent freedom of assembly online. The big question is, do the prepositions in it meet the constitutional requirements on how and when rights and freedom should be justifiably limited? Its not far from the truth that the political elites are enacting this law to shield themselves from an open criticism by the populace, it will interest you to know that the two Senators sponsoring this bill were once caught up in a scandal which became viral on social Media.Sponsoring of this  bill by the duo,could be motivated by discomfort with being outed on social media.

The Nigeria Senate should focus on how our graduates will get jobs, fair distribution of resources, food security and quality education in our universities,not this pretentious bill that seeks to destroy the tenets of our hard earned democracy.It is difficult to understand what problem the bill seeks to cure other than to try and introduce online censorship.

All this will certainly be defeated by the section of the Constitution that deals with freedom of expression.I stand with my Boss Umar Nasko and other civil society groups to say no to social Media bill.

Nelson Dimas
Social strategist
23/11/2019