Offensive Content: FG Shuts Down Over 13.5 Million Social Media Accounts
By: Israel Adeleke
OPEN TELEVISION NAIJA (OTN) News reports that in a bid to protect users from online harm, the federal government of Nigeria has taken down 13,597,057 social media accounts and 58,909,112 offensive content across platforms, which violated the Code of Practice 2024.
OTN News further reports that the announcement was contained in the Code of Practice 2024 Compliance Report, jointly issued by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), and the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).
According to the report, the affected accounts were traced to platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter).
Addressing the development, the NITDA’s Director of Corporate Communications and Media Relations, Hajiya Hadiza Umar, explained that the government recorded 58,909,112 takedowns of offensive content across platforms, in which 754,629 complaints were lodged by users, while 420,439 contents were restored after appeals.
OTN News observes that the statement commended Google, Microsoft, and TikTok for complying with Nigeria’s Code of Practice, noting that the compliance reports highlight platforms’ efforts to protect users from online harm.
Umar stated, “the submission of these reports marks a significant step towards fostering a safer and more responsible digital environment for Nigerian users."
Subsequently, she emphasized that the Code of Practice mandated major service platforms to be registered in Nigeria, comply with relevant laws, fulfill tax obligations, and uphold online safety.
However, while she was praising the progress, NITDA stressed the need for sustained collaboration between government, industry stakeholders, and civil society to improve digital literacy, user safety, and trust in Nigeria’s online ecosystem.
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