The federal government has released a raft of conditions that must be met by Twitter before the temporary suspension it slammed on the microblogging platform is lifted.
The government came hard on twitter after President Muhammadu Buhari’s tweet was deleted. The former however, said it took the step because the platform in connivance with disgruntled elements was being used to undermine Nigeria’s corporate existence.
Reports said both parties are already in talks with the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Muhammed in an interview with newsmen saying the suspension would be lifted on conditions that twitter register with the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, pays tax to the government, and must not lend its platform for use to persons trying to destabilise the country among others.
“Our conditions are already laid out: one, to do business in Nigeria, they must register as Nigerian companies; two, you must be licensed. Three, they will have to refrain from using the platform for activities that are inimical to the growth of Nigeria, to the corporate existence of Nigeria. From there, any other issue will come in. We already talked to them.
“It may interest you to know that most of the Over The Top and social media platforms operating in Nigeria do not have any office in Nigeria and do not pay taxes to the Nigerian government for the billions they earn here.
“That is not the best practice globally, and that is why we are insisting that for you to operate in Nigeria you must first be a Nigerian company and be licensed by the broadcasting commission.
“Therefore, any OTT (over-the-top) or social media platform operating in Nigeria must do so legally,” Muhammed said.
