NITDA Boss Pushes for Nigerian Rules on TikTok to Protect Local Culture
Nigeria’s top technology regulator, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, has asserted that the country must wield greater power over video apps like TikTok, demanding that social media platforms adhere to Nigeria’s laws and cultural priorities rather than imposing global content policies.
In an interview with Tech 24 and monitored by Tech Digest, the Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) criticized the platform for its current usage trends.
“We want to see people using it to promote digital safety, to promote content that will build a stronger nation,” Inuwa said. “But mostly we use it for entertainment, which eats our youth’s time. People are not focusing on building skills they need to succeed for tomorrow.”
Inuwa praised the approach taken by the United States to assert digital sovereignty, stating, “What is good for the US is also good for Africa and Nigeria.” He argued that social media platforms often fail to consider Nigerian laws or priorities when designing their policies.
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“We should determine what is good for our citizens and what is not good for our citizens,” Inuwa insisted. “Nobody will just come and influence or dominate the digital space on their own terms. Anybody coming will work with our own terms and we will be in the driver’s seat as a sovereign nation.”
Tech Digest reports that Nigeria represents a huge market for TikTok, with roughly 37 million users over the age of 18.
Enforcement and Regulatory Framework
Nigeria is already taking action through NITDA’s Code of Practice to prevent harmful content online. This regulation requires social media platforms to remove content within 24 hours of being flagged by authorities, with no built-in appeals process.
While the Code is less enforceable than frameworks like the European Union’s Digital Services Act, TikTok has shown efforts to comply, removing over 7.5 million videos in Nigeria in the first half of this year—nearly double the volume from the same period last year. However, Inuwa indicated that merely removing content is not enough; the country must dictate the terms of digital engagement within its borders.
