By Jane Salihu
Nigeria’s bid to strengthen digital governance and position itself as a major player in the global technology ecosystem received a boost on Thursday as stakeholders endorsed two key legislative proposals aimed at deepening technology investment and advancing artificial intelligence education.
The endorsement came during a public hearing organised by the Senate Committee on ICT and Cyber Security on two separate bills seeking to compel social media companies operating in Nigeria to establish physical offices in the country and to create an Artificial Intelligence Academy in Omuo-Ekiti, Ekiti State.
Chairman of the committee, Senator Shuaib Afolabi Salisu (Ogun Central), said the proposed legislations represent complementary efforts to secure Nigeria’s digital space while building the human capital required to thrive in the rapidly evolving technology landscape.
According to him, while one bill focuses on improving accountability and regulatory engagement by global digital platforms, the second is designed to establish a centre of excellence that will drive research, innovation and capacity development in artificial intelligence.
President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, represented by the Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Lola Ashiru (Kwara South), described both proposals as strategic interventions that demonstrate the National Assembly’s commitment to preparing Nigeria for the demands of the digital age.
He stressed that the bill seeking to require social media companies to establish offices in Nigeria should not be misconstrued as an attempt to restrict digital operations.
Rather, he said, the legislation is intended to foster stronger engagement between multinational technology firms and Nigeria by ensuring greater responsiveness, regulatory cooperation and economic participation.
Sponsor of the bill, Senator Ned Nwoko of Delta North, echoed the position, insisting that the proposal was designed to encourage responsible corporate presence rather than discourage investment.
“This Bill is neither punitive nor hostile to innovation. It is not designed to frustrate investment or discourage technology companies from operating in Nigeria.
“On the contrary, it seeks to deepen their engagement with Nigeria by encouraging them to become true corporate citizens of our country,” he said.
Nwoko argued that leading technology firms already maintain operational offices in several countries across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa and the Americas, where they undertake engineering, artificial intelligence research, legal compliance, public policy, customer support and business development.
He noted that countries such as Ireland have leveraged the physical presence of companies like Meta, Google, LinkedIn, TikTok and X to create jobs, attract investments, expand tax revenues and develop local technology talent.
Questioning why Nigeria should remain excluded despite being Africa’s largest digital market, the senator said the country stands to gain significantly from similar investments.
“If countries with significantly smaller populations and digital markets than Nigeria have secured these investments and benefits, why should Nigeria continue to stand on the sidelines? Why should Africa’s largest digital market not enjoy the same opportunities?” he asked.
Stakeholders at the hearing also expressed support for the bill sponsored by Senator Yemi Adaramodu of Ekiti South, which seeks to establish the Artificial Intelligence Academy in Omuo-Ekiti.
They said the proposed institution would help produce skilled professionals, promote cutting-edge research and strengthen Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global AI-driven economy.
The Senate Committee assured participants that all submissions received during the public hearing would be carefully reviewed before the bills proceed to the next stage of legislative consideration.
