Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Monday, Jul 21, 2025

Twitter Must Register Locally For Ban To End, Says Nigeria

Twitter Must Register Locally For Ban To End, Says Nigeria

Nigeria's Minister said Twitter had sought talks with the government saying it was used for activities threatening the country.
Twitter's suspension in Nigeria will end once the US social media giant submits to local licencing, registration and conditions, the government said on Wednesday, rejecting criticism the ban had stifled freedom of expression.

Nigeria's Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed told AFP Twitter had sought talks with the government, which last week suspended the platform's operations in the country, saying it was used for activities threatening the country's stability.

The Twitter ban on Friday has provoked outcry from the United Nations, foreign governments and rights groups who are concerned about repression of media freedoms.

"First and foremost, Twitter must register as a company in Nigeria," the minister said in an interview, when asked about lifting the ban.

"It will be licenced by the broadcasting commission, and must agree not to allow its platform to be used by those who are promoting activities that are inimical to the corporate existence of Nigeria."

Twitter last week said it was deeply concerned about the block, calling access to free and open internet a basic right.

According to Twitter, the company is engaged with the Nigerian government as part of its commitment to a safe service for its users.

The Twitter ban decision came just two days after the platform had deleted a tweet from President Muhammadu Buhari's own account for violating its rules.

He had made a reference to Nigeria's civil war five decades ago when one million people died, in the context of a warning to those behind recent unrest in the country's southeast, where separatist tensions are on the rise.

At the time, the government complained Twitter had not deleted violent remarks made by a separatist leader from the southeast and also referenced Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey's support for anti-police brutality protests in Nigeria last year.

Mohammed said Twitter had became a platform for incitement for the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), an outlawed group agitating for a separate state for the Igbo people in Nigeria's southeast.

The government has blamed them for a surge in attacks on police stations and election offices in the region, a charge the group denies.

"Anywhere in the world where Twitter becomes a platform of choice for insurrection or becomes a platform of choice to promote activities that will lead to the demise of any country, I think such country should ban them," he said.

Mohammed said few countries tolerated freedom of expression like Nigeria, with its wide range of television channels, radio stations and social media platforms.

"Nobody in actual honesty can accuse Nigeria of stifling freedom of expression, if anyone wants to be honest. But there's one line you must not cross," he said.

"I use Twitter too! But the point is in the hierarchy of priorities, which one is more important? To have a peaceful Nigeria, a stable Nigeria, or a Nigeria that would not be stable and allow whatever you call freedom of expression."
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
Iran's Parliament Votes to Suspend Cooperation with Nuclear Watchdog
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Oman Set to Introduce Personal Income Tax, First in Gulf
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
×