General
SERAP Challenges Buhari to Provide Agreement With Twitter
By Adedapo Adesanya
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to provide a copy of the agreement the federal government had with the social media company, Twitter.
On Wednesday, January 12, the FG announced that it has reached an arrangement with the micro-blogging site to lift the ban it placed on its use in Nigeria on June 4, 2021.
Now, the organisation is calling on the President to use his good offices and leadership position to direct the Minister of Information and Culture, Mr Lai Mohammed, to provide it with a copy of the agreement recently signed with Twitter, and to widely publish the details of any such agreement.
SERAP also urged him to “direct Alhaji Lai Mohammed to clarify the manner and scope in which the agreement with Twitter will be enforced, including whether the agreement incorporates respect for human rights, consistent with the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] and international obligations.”
In a letter dated January 15, 2022, and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organization said: “Publishing the agreement would enable Nigerians to scrutinize it, seek legal remedies as appropriate, and ensure that the conditions for lifting the suspension of Twitter are not used as pretexts to suppress legitimate discourse.”
SERAP said: “Publishing the agreement with Twitter would also promote transparency, accountability, and help to mitigate threats to Nigerians’ rights online, as well as any interference with online privacy in ways that deter the exercise of freedom of opinion and expression.”
According to SERAP, “Nigerians are entitled to their constitutionally and internationally recognized human rights, such as the rights to freedom of expression, access to information, privacy, peaceful assembly, and association, as well as public participation both offline and online.”
“Any agreement with social media companies must meet constitutional and international requirements, including legality, necessity, proportionality, and legitimacy.
“This means that any conditions for lifting the suspension of Twitter must meet the requirements of regular legal processes and limit government discretion. Secretly agreed conditions will fail these fundamental requirements.
“The government has a duty to demonstrate that the conditions for lifting the suspension of Twitter would not threaten or violate the enjoyment of Nigerians’ human rights online and that the conditions are in pursuit of a legitimate goal in a democratic society.
“SERAP is concerned that the operation and enforcement of the agreement may be based on broadly worded restrictive laws, which may be used as pretexts to suppress legitimate discourse, interfere with online privacy, and deter the exercise of freedom of opinion and expression,” it also stated.
It added: “For example, the statement by the government announcing the lifting of the suspension of Twitter used overly broad terms and phrases like ‘prohibited publication’, ‘Nigerian laws’, ‘national culture and history’. These open-ended terms and phrases may be used to suppress the legitimate exercise of human rights online.
“Any agreement with social media companies must not be used as a ploy to tighten governmental control over access to the internet, monitor internet activity, or to increase online censorship and the capacity of the government to restrict legitimate online content, contrary to standards on freedom of expression and privacy.
“SERAP notes the interdependence of human rights, such as the importance of privacy as a gateway to freedom of expression.
“Section 39 of the Nigerian Constitution, article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights guarantee the right to hold opinions without interference, and the right to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers and through any medium.
“The Nigerian Constitution and human rights treaties impose duties on your government to ensure enabling environments for freedom of expression, privacy rights, and other human rights, and to protect their exercise.”
SERAP noted that “While human rights law requires States to prohibit ‘advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence’, States must still satisfy the cumulative conditions of legality, necessity, proportionality and legitimacy in any agreement with social media companies.
“Your government has a legal obligation to promote universal Internet access, media diversity, and independence, as well as ensure that any agreements with Twitter and other social media companies are not used to impermissibly restrict these fundamental human rights.
“By the combined reading of the provisions of the Constitution of Nigeria, the Freedom of Information Act 2011, and human rights treaties to which Nigeria is a state party, there are transparency obligations imposed on your government to widely publish the agreement and details of the conditions upon which the suspension of Twitter was lifted.
“It is stated in the statement by the Federal Government that Twitter has reached an agreement with the government ‘to manage prohibited publication in line with Nigerian laws.’ We would be grateful for clarifications on the definition of ‘prohibited information,’ and the specific applicable Nigerian laws in the context of the agreement.
“It is also stated in the statement by the Federal Government that Twitter has agreed to ‘act with a respectful acknowledgement of Nigerian laws and the national culture and history on which such legislation has been built.’ We would be grateful for clarifications on the specific and applicable Nigerian laws, national culture, and history upon which the operation and enforcement of the agreement will be based.
“We would be grateful if the requested information and details are provided to us within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall take all appropriate legal action in the public interest to compel your government to comply with our request.
“According to our information, the approval was given to lift the suspension of Twitter operation in Nigeria effective from 12 am 13th January 2022 following the memo sent to you by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof Isa Ali Ibrahim. The decision to lift the suspension was reportedly based on the recommendations by the Technical Committee on Nigeria-Twitter Engagement.
“SERAP notes that Alhaji Lai Mohammed on 5th June 2021, announced the suspension of operation of Twitter by the Federal Government, following which a seven-man Presidential Committee was set up to engage Twitter Inc. The Presidential Committee, in turn, established a 20-member Technical Committee, which reportedly directly worked with the Twitter team.”
The letter was copied to Mr Lai Mohammed and Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN, Attorney General of the Federation, and Minister of Justice.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Media and External Relations Lead of United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Mr Abiodun Coker, has been crowned the Future Leader in Media Management.
He clinched this award at The Industry Summit/Awards held on Friday, May 2, 2025, in Lagos, with several persons from across all sectors in attendance.
Mr Coker’s recognition further cements his growing reputation as one of Nigeria’s most dynamic and future-ready communications leaders, with his eyes firmly set on redefining the media management landscape.
The award jury, chaired by Mr Tolulope Ogunjobi, a renowned broadcast business correspondent and Business Editor at TVC News, said Mr Coker was bestowed with the honour because of his exceptional achievements in the public relations field during the year 2024.
The team said one of them was his masterful handling of UBA’s 2024 rights issue, which successfully closed on December 24, 2024, and the impactful execution of the bank’s 75th Anniversary Campaign, both of which were described as commendable and exceptional.
According to the jury, his management of UBA’s media ecosystem during the year under review was remarkable, with several media professionals praising his public relations craftsmanship and ability to skilfully manage the image of one of Africa’s most formidable financial brands.
“Abiodun Coker’s achievements in 2024 are a beacon for greater accomplishments ahead. He is undoubtedly one of the strategic communication experts to watch in 2025,” the jury noted.
A seasoned professional, Mr Coker’s journey from an acclaimed financial journalist at BusinessDay Newspapers to a powerhouse in corporate communications has been nothing short of inspiring.
With over eight years of robust journalism experience, coupled with leadership roles at top-tier public relations firms such as BD Consult Ltd and Quadrant, he has consistently demonstrated his ability to transform and manage leading brands successfully.
Organized by The Industry Newspaper, the leading brand marketing publication in West Africa, the prestigious awards recognize outstanding professionals shaping the future of brand marketing and communications across the region.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Wale Edun, has reiterated the federal government’s commitment to fostering a more enabling investment climate, anchored on macroeconomic stability, structural reform, and a clear pathway to inclusive prosperity.
He gave this assurance at a high-level private dinner, organized by Kuramo Capital Management Lagos as part of Africa Venture Capital Week.
The Minister lauded Kuramo Capital and its partners for their steadfast belief in Africa’s promise and highlighted the alignment between private capital and Nigeria’s renewed hope reform agenda.
According to a statement, participants recognized the vital role of blended finance and innovation in driving sustainable development.
The event brought together a distinguished group of global investors, development partners, and business leaders for a candid exchange on unlocking long-term capital for Africa’s growth and transformation.
It also marks Kuramo Capital’s first formal convening in Nigeria in several years, underscoring a renewed sense of commitment to deepening its strategic footprint across the continent.
Mr Edun said with this renewed commitment, the federal government is poised to unlock new opportunities for economic growth, investment, and inclusive prosperity.
He also called for more investment into the country, assuring participants that the right mechanisms are being put in place towards driving Nigeria’s development and improving the lives of its citizens.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government is fast-tracking the implementation phase of its economic and financial inclusion strategy aimed at improving access to economic opportunities for Nigerians.
This was disclosed by the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Mr Ibrahim Hadejia, at the inaugural meeting of the Technical Committee of the Presidential Committee on Economic and Financial Inclusion (PreCEFI).
He said that “Financial inclusion is not just about having a bank account—it means access to quality services, credit, and the visibility that digital platforms offer.”
The meeting was held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday.
The federal government established an inter-agency task force to address challenges delaying President Bola Tinubu’s approved conditional cash transfers to 15 million vulnerable households.
The task force includes the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), National Social Safety-Nets Coordinating Office, National Cash Transfer Office (NCTO), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS).
The mandate of the taskforce goal is to unlock bottlenecks and fast-track the distribution of critical financial support to Nigeria’s most vulnerable.
The meeting also endorsed steps to work with state governments in localising data from the Enhancing Financial Innovation and Access in Nigeria (EFInA) Access to Financial Services survey – a biennial study conducted by the EFInA.
Mr Hadejia explained that the meeting brought together high-level stakeholders from government agencies, financial institutions, and academia to align on the President’s vision and execution roadmap.
“We are off to a very good start. What has led to the success of what we’ve done so far is alignment and inclusive stakeholder engagement,” he said.
On hsi part, the committee’s Secretary, Mr Nurudeen Zauro, said the meeting also approved PreCEFI’s strategic roadmap and governance structure.
Mr Zauro, who is also the Technical Advisor to the President on Financial Inclusion, said ” an inter-agency committee has been established to address delays in the disbursement of conditional cash transfers to 15 million households as mandated by President Tinubu.
“We will be presenting the report to the National Economic Council and the Nigerian Governors Forum to ensure data is domesticated and acted upon at the subnational level.”
Also, Director-General of NIMC, Mrs Abisoye Coker-Odusote, explained that digital identity plays a foundational role in achieving inclusion goals.
“The beauty of the NIN is that it bridges the financial divide. It provides access to health, education, and agricultural services and strengthens national data infrastructure,” she said.
The Director of Consumer Protection and Financial Inclusion at the CBN, Mrs Aisha Isa-Olatinwo, urged the committee to focus on implementable outcomes that serve those at the base of the pyramid.
According to her, financial inclusion is one of the eight reform pillars of the President’s agenda.
-
Feature/OPED5 years agoDavos was Different this year
-
Travel/Tourism9 years ago
Lagos Seals Western Lodge Hotel In Ikorodu
-
Showbiz2 years agoEstranged Lover Releases Videos of Empress Njamah Bathing
-
Banking7 years agoSort Codes of GTBank Branches in Nigeria
-
Economy2 years agoSubsidy Removal: CNG at N130 Per Litre Cheaper Than Petrol—IPMAN
-
Banking2 years agoFirst Bank Announces Planned Downtime
-
Sports2 years agoHighest Paid Nigerian Footballer – How Much Do Nigerian Footballers Earn
-
Technology4 years agoHow To Link Your MTN, Airtel, Glo, 9mobile Lines to NIN