Govt to oversee ‘use of social media’ in Nigeria

The Federal Government is to oversee social media usage by Nigeria’s growing online community as part of a broader Internet Governance programme championed by the telecoms industry watchdog. The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), which hinted of the Internet oversights plans, says it will develop a “Technical Framework for Use of Social Media Networks” under its broader Internet oversight plans for the country. Details of the plan are sketchy for now but NCC says the oversight programme form part of its management plan on Internet Governance for Nigeria. Nigeria is home to a thriving Internet community with millions of connecting to the Internet on the move through their mobile phones. [blockquote right="pull-right"]"According to NCC data, Nigeria’s growing online community, which is mainly those using mobile Internet services, reached 76,477,126 subscribers at year-end 2014. GSM network providers accounted for 76,322,802 customers while CDMA networks posted 154,324 users, within the same period."[/blockquote] [caption id="attachment_27988" align="alignleft" width="1180"] Dr Eugene Juwah , EVC of NCC: To oversee Internet Governance Plan[/caption] According to NCC data, Nigeria’s growing online community, which is mainly those using mobile Internet services, reached 76,477,126 subscribers at year-end 2014. GSM network providers accounted for 76,322,802 customers while CDMA networks posted 154,324 users, within the same period. As at the end of 2014 too, Nigeria’s growing connected mobile community peaked at 139,047,741 active lines, according to the telecoms regulator’s official data. The growing tribe of Nigerian Internet users has also spiked social media activities opened by online communications channels that allow users to share information, interact and collaborate, irrespective of geographical boundaries. The social media framework plan is part of NCC’s overall Internet Governance projects and initiatives that may see more local oversight on the use of the global information network that is “not centrally governed by any agency, company, government or person, but by several bodies across the globe”, the regulator says on its website. NCC’s Internet oversight foray with the proposed technical framework for social media use also adds to “a listing of Internet related projects and initiatives the Commission has adopted for its Strategic Management Plan. Some of these are ongoing while some are proposed or planned for future dates.” The oversight plans will also include the “Development of Technical Framework for Data Filtering in Telecommunications Networks”, according to the telecoms regulator. Under the planned Internet Governance programme, the telecoms regulator also plans to design and implementation “a World Class e-Crime and Digital Forensics Laboratory in Nigeria.” Also on the list of NCC’s plan is a proposed National Internet Registry (or NIR), which is often an organisation under the umbrella of a Regional Internet Registry that coordinates IP address allocations and other Internet resource management functions at a national level within a country or economic unit. According to NCC, the agency’s overall Internet Governance will cover the Development of a Framework for Website Security Assurance in Nigeria; Provision of online portal for stakeholder consultation; Adoption of the DNSSEC Initiative; Internet Infrastructure survey and map and Advanced Digital Appreciation for Tertiary Institutions (ADAPTI) training. Other scopes of the Internet Governance plans include Development of Infrastructure database to link Regional Internet Registry records; Development of Internet Code of conduct; Development of Legal Framework and Operational Guidelines for Cyber and Information Security; Development of National Internet Registry database; Development of Technical Framework for Data Filtering in Telecommunications Networks; Development of Technical Framework for Use of Social Media Networks and Framework for Telecommunications Sector Cyber Security Incidence Response team. It also expands into areas of Information Risk Management Framework; Planning, Design and Implementation of a World Class e-Crime and Digital Forensics Laboratory and Sponsorship of approved Telecommunications Research and Development.

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