Nigeria’s technology regulator says the country must wield more power over TikTok, setting their own rules rather than relying on global content policies.
In an interview for Tech 24, top Nigerian tech regulator Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi hit out at video app TikTok.
"We want see people using it to promote digital safety, to promote content that will build a stronger nation," said the Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), "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 of the United States, which is seeking to bring TikTok’s US operations under the control of President Donald Trump’s allies.
"When we look at what the US is doing on digital sovereignty, what is good for the US is also good for Africa and Nigeria," said Inuwa, "Sometimes [platforms] don't listen to us when designing their own policies. They don't take into consideration our laws. But when we have that self determination, we should be the one to tell them this is how we want this platform to operate in Nigeria."
Nigeria is a huge market for TikTok, with roughly 37 million users over 18 years of age. And the country is already taking action: NITDA's Code of Practice to prevent harmful content online requires social media platforms to remove content within 24 hours of being flagged by authorities, with no appeals process.
It's not considered as enforceable as the European Union's Digital Services Act, but TikTok is still keen to show compliance, removing more than 7.5 million videos in Nigeria in the first half of this year, almost double the same period last year. It’s got some experts worried about heavy-handed or automated moderation. But according to the regulator, video removals don't go far enough.
"We should determine what is good for our citizens and what is not good for our citizens," said Inuwa, "Nobody will just come and influence or do dominate the digital space on their own terms. Anybody coming will work with our own terms and we will be on the driver's seat as a sovereign nation."
Find out more on Tech 24.
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