The federal government has urged the House of Representatives to enact a law to regulate social and online media in Nigeria.
The minister of Information and Culture stated this on Wednesday at a public hearing organised by the house.
He called on the lawmakers to amend the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) act to empower the agency to regulate social and online media.
The public hearing was organised by the house committee on information, national orientation, ethics and values on a bill to amend the NBC act.
The minister also wants the NBC to regulate the online media in addition to other channels of broadcasting.
“I want to add here specifically that internet broadcasting and all online media should be included in this because we have a responsibility to monitor contents, including Twitter”, the minister said.
Last week, the NBC asked all social media platforms and online broadcasting service providers operating in Nigeria to apply for a broadcast licence.
At the public hearing, media stakeholders kicked against the move and asked the house panel to make the NBC more independent of the minister of information.
In their joint submission, the International Press Centre (IPC) and the Centre for Media Law and Advocacy said the appointment of the NBC board should be subject to the confirmation of the National Assembly.
They maintained that, “The conduct of the NBC has over time presented it as an extension of the minister of information and culture which rarely acts independently”.
