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Ned Nwoko, senator representing Delta North, has once again intensified calls for the passage of his proposed social media regulation bill, insisting that defamation and misinformation have spiralled out of control in Nigeria’s online space.
The bill, which he sponsored, passed second reading in the Senate on March 18.
Speaking on Monday, Nwoko referenced a recent viral video as a clear example of the dangers of unregulated digital platforms. In the video, a TikTok creator known as liaroftiktok alleged that Nwoko paid him to assassinate Regina Daniels, the senator’s wife. The creator later retracted the claim, admitting it was fabricated purely for “content.”
Nwoko said this pattern — creators making “very serious allegations” just to gain views and followers — has become rampant, with little accountability for the damage such lies inflict on real people.
He argued that the ease with which individuals post harmful content and later escape consequences has encouraged “deviant behaviour” online.
According to the senator, the incident highlights the urgent need for a legal framework to hold social media companies accountable.
“You can’t lie to make money and turn around to apologize after criminally defaming and hurting people,” he said. “It is time for social media companies to be mandated to open offices in Nigeria and take responsibility for what they allow on their platforms.”
He questioned why local media houses must obey strict defamation laws while foreign tech companies face no such accountability.
Nwoko further noted that if landlords can be sanctioned for crimes committed by tenants — particularly internet fraudsters — then tech companies should also share responsibility for harmful content published on their platforms.
He urged Nigerians to support the bill, stressing that it does not seek to suppress free expression but to ensure social media platforms are registered and physically present in the country.
According to him, the bill will create jobs, support technology transfer, enhance tax collection, make legal action against tech companies easier, and improve the tracking of online criminal activities. He added that mandatory local operations would help ensure that Nigerians’ data is stored within the country rather than left under the control of foreign entities.
