Legal practitioner Inibehe Effiong has criticized the Bill sponsored by Senator Ned Nwoko (Delta North) which requires bloggers and social media platforms to establish physical offices within the country.

The bill which has passed through second reading at the Senate seeks to amend the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023.

It is titled ‘ A Bill for an Act to Amend the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023, to Mandate the Establishment of Physical Offices within the Territorial Boundaries of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by Social Media Platforms, and for Related Matters, 2025 (SB. 650).'

Apart from having a verifiable office in Nigeria, the bill also proposes new regulations for bloggers.

The bill requires bloggers to maintain proper employee records and that they must belong to a recognized national association of bloggers, headquartered in Abuja.

According to Nwoko, the bill will bring professionalism into blogging and align it with the operational methods of traditional media.

Reacting, Effiong disagreed with Nwoko, saying blogging is virtual and shouldn't be subjected to the ways of traditional media.

He told MyNigeria, "The bill is in bad faith. It is also in bad test. Blogging itself, by its very nature, is an activity that is done mostly virtually, unlike conventional newspapers that is supposed to be printed and circulated.

"Compelling bloggers to have an office is wrong because majority of them just blog about their personal life. Why would anyone need an office for that? I see this as an attempt to coerce bloggers. Ned Nwoko's head is not in the right place for pushing this bill. Bloggers are not the problem of the country. So he should be releasing bills to address the issues facing the nation."

ASA