‘Withdraw backdoor social media shutdown bill or face legal action’, SERAP tells Akpabio, Abbas

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas to “immediately reject and withdraw the Nigeria Data Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2026, as the Bill is a backdoor attempt to regulate social media and expand governmental control over online expression, which is incompatible with international human rights standards.” “The National Assembly should immediately reject and withdraw the Bill, as it is manifestly incompatible with the Nigerian Constitution and Nigeria’s obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.” “Section 39 of the Nigerian Constitution, Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights guarantee the rights to freedom of expression, digital rights, and access to information.