General
SERAP Files Suit Against CBN Over KYC Social Media Policy
By Adedapo Adesanya
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) over its proposed Know-Your-Customer (KYC) social media policy.
The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers, Mr Kolawole Oluwadare and Ms Blessing Ogwuche, said “the failure to delete the patently unlawful provisions in the Central Bank of Nigeria (Customer Due Diligence) Regulations directing banks to obtain information on customers’ social media handles for the purpose of identification.”
The CBN had last month issued a circular mandating banks and other financial institutions to implement and comply with the mandatory provisions on customers’ social media handles in the CBN Regulations. This raised a late of complaints from Nigerians as well as government agencies.
In the suit number FHC/L/CS/1410/2023 filed last Friday at the Federal High Court in Lagos, SERAP is seeking: “an order of mandamus to direct and compel the Central Bank of Nigeria to withdraw its directive dated 20th June 2023 to banks and other financial institutions to obtain information from customers’ social media handles.”
SERAP, through the suit, is also seeking: “an order of mandamus to compel the CBN to delete the unlawful provisions of Section 6 of its Customer Due Diligence Regulations, 2023 for being inconsistent with Section 39 of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] and Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.”
SERAP is also seeking: “an order restraining the CBN from carrying out or giving effect to the unlawful provisions of Section 6 of its Customer Due Diligence Regulations, 2023, directing banks and other financial institutions to obtain information from customers’ social media handles.”
In the suit, SERAP is arguing that: “The mandatory requirement of social media handles or addresses of customers does not serve any legitimate aim. Such information may be used to unjustifiably or arbitrarily restrict the rights to freedom of expression and privacy.”
SERAP is also arguing that, “Unless the reliefs sought are granted, the CBN will implement and enforce the unlawful directive in contravention of citizens’ rights to freedom of expression and privacy.”
According to SERAP, “There are other means of identification such as passport, driver’s licence, Bank Verification Number (BVN), and Tax Identification Number (TIN), which banks and other financial institutions already require their customers to provide.”
SERAP is also arguing that, “The additional requirement of obtaining details of a customer’s social media handle or address fails to meet the requirements of legality, necessity, and proportionality.”
The group further argued that, “The fact that there are sufficient means of identification for CBN, banks and other financial institutions to rely on to meet the requirement of Know Your Customer also heighten concerns of overreach, and confer far-reaching discretion on banks and financial institutions.”
“Obtaining information on customers’ social media handles or addresses as means of identification is more intrusive than necessary.”
“According to Section 6(a)(iv) of the CBN Regulations, banks and other financial institutions ‘shall identify their customer and obtain information on the social media handle of the customer.’ Section 6(b)(iii) contains similar provision.
“The purported mandatory requirement would inhibit Nigerians from freely exercising their human rights online. If obtained, such information may also be misused for political and other unlawful purposes.
“The CBN Regulations and directive to banks and other financial institutions would impermissibly restrict the constitutional and international rights to freedom of expression, privacy and victims’ right to justice and effective remedies.
“Requiring social media handles or addresses of customers as a means of identification would have a disproportionate chilling effect on the effective enjoyment by Nigerians of their rights to freedom of expression and privacy online.
“The requirement of necessity implies an assessment of the proportionality of the grounds, with the aim of ensuring that the excuse of ‘regulations on customer due diligence’ is not used as a pretext to unduly intrude upon the rights to freedom of expression and privacy.
“The CBN Regulation does not demonstrate how the use of social media handle or address as a means of identification would serve to improve banks and other financial institutions’ ability to implement and comply with the laws and regulations relating to customer due diligence.
“The Directive by the CBN, which does not in any event carry the force of law, also fails to provide any explanation as to how social media handles or addresses can facilitate compliance with regulations relating to customer due diligence.
“Obtaining the details of customers’ social media handles or addresses would unduly interfere with the rights to freedom of expression and privacy. It would also be disproportionate to any purported legitimate aim that the CBN seeks to achieve.
“The cumulative effect of any attempt to access details of customers’ social media handles or addresses would be to undermine the letter, substance and spirit of the rights to freedom of expression and privacy of Nigerians.
“The effective enjoyment of these fundamental rights constitutes a fundamental pillar for building a democratic society and strengthening democracy.
“The positive obligations of Nigeria to ensure the rights to freedom of expression and privacy will only be fully discharged if individuals are protected against violations by institutions like the CBN.
“The Nigerian Constitution guarantees in Section 39 the right to freedom of expression and in Section 37, the right to privacy.
“Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights also guarantee the right to freedom of expression. Article 17 of the Covenant also guarantees the right to privacy.
“In particular, Article 19(1) of the Covenant establishes the right to freedom of opinion without interference. Article 19(2) establishes Nigeria’s obligations to respect and ensure ‘the right to freedom of expression,’ which includes the freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers.
“Under article 19(3), restrictions on the right to freedom of expression must be ‘provided by law’, and necessary ‘for respect of the rights or reputations of others’ or ‘for the protection of national security or of public order (ordre public), or of public health and morals.
“The principles of legality, necessity, and proportionality apply to the right to privacy in the same manner as they do to freedom of expression and other fundamental freedoms.
“Restrictions to the rights to freedom of expression and privacy that do not comply with the elements of legality, legitimate purpose, and necessity and proportionality shall be deemed unlawful,” it read in part.
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has clarified that the crude oil vessel, MV Skipper, intercepted by the United States Coast Guard, in collaboration with the US Navy for its alleged involvement in crude oil theft and other transnational crimes is not registered in Nigeria.
NIMASA said the Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) SKIPPER with IMO Number 9304667 is not a Nigerian-flagged vessel, and its purported owners, Thomarose Global Ventures Limited, are not registered with NIMASA as a shipping company.
An analysis of the vessel’s movement carried out NIMASA through its Command, Control, Communication, Computers and Intelligence (C4i) Centre showed that the facility was last sighted on Nigerian waters on July 1, 2024.
“After departing Nigerian waters, the vessel continued on its international voyage pattern and was tracked operating in the Arabian Sea (Asia) and later in the Caribbean region, where the US interdiction eventually took place.
“Records indicate that SKIPPER, which was formerly owned by Triton Navigation Corp, has undergone multiple name changes over time.
The Director General of NIMASA, Mr Dayo Mobereola, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to collaborate with all relevant stakeholders, including US authorities, in the ongoing investigations, noting that in a statement that criminality will not be tolerated on Nigerian waters.
Last week, US forces seized an oil tanker carrying a Panama flag believed to be the VLCC Skipper, after satellite imagery showed the vessel secretly loading over 1.8 million barrels of sanctioned Merey crude at Venezuela’s José Terminal.
The vessel had been transmitting falsified AIS positions during the operation, a tactic increasingly used by “dark fleet” tankers tied to Venezuelan and Iranian trades. It was later revealed that the seized tanker Skipper, was carrying crude contracted by Cubametales, Cuba’s state-run oil trading firm.
The seizure of the sanctioned oil tanker has sharply escalated tensions between the US and Venezuela. The US government also said it is preparing to intercept more ships transporting Venezuelan oil.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Lateef Fagbemi, “to immediately enforce the judgment compelling and directing him and president Bola Tinubu to widely publish the names of those indicted in the alleged misappropriation of N6 trillion meant to implement the abandoned 13,777 projects and in the running of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) between 2000 and 2019.”
The judgment was delivered on Monday, November 10, 2025, by Justice Gladys Olotu following a Freedom of Information suit number: FHC/ABJ/CS/1360/2021 brought by SERAP.
The court also ordered Mr Fagbemi and the president “to publish and make available to the public the NDDC forensic audit report submitted to the federal government on September 2, 2021.”
In the letter dated December 13, 2025 and signed by SERAP deputy director, Mr Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said: “The continuing failure and/or refusal to publicly acknowledge the judgment and immediately enforce it makes a mockery of the country’s legal and judicial processes and the rule of law.”
It warned that the ongoing failure and/or refusal to enforce the judgment is a fundamental breach of both the letter and spirit of the Nigerian Constitution and a direct assault on the rule of law.
“Obeying the judgment would reinforce the primacy of the Nigerian Constitution, and the country’s international obligations and show respect for the rule of law.
“The Attorney General is the Chief Law Officer of the Federation and as such has the responsibility to uphold the Nigerian Constitution, advise the government to ensure that its actions conform with judicial decisions, obey the rule of law and generally act in the public interest,” it disclosed.
The group noted that, “We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall consider pursuing contempt proceedings against you to compel you to uphold the Nigerian Constitution and the rule of law.”
“SERAP notes the recent public commitments by President Tinubu to ‘improve the welfare of the Niger Delta region and address the challenges facing the region.’ Immediately enforcing the NDDC judgment would ensure the fulfilment of these commitments,” it concluded.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigeria–China Strategic Partnership (NCSP) recently hosted a high-level delegation from Newryton International Industrial Development Company Limited, a leading Chinese investment and industrial development consortium, to advance discussions on deepening bilateral trade, industrial cooperation, and development financing between both countries.
The Newryton delegation, led by Mr David Chen, Assistant Secretary-General of the China Hainan Investment Council, had earlier engaged with the Nigerian Association of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA). They were accompanied to the NCSP by Mr Joe Onyuike, Vice-Chairman of NACCIMA’s Agriculture and Livestock Trade Group, who conveyed NACCIMA’s support for the delegation’s engagements.
Discussions centered on the establishment of a Nigeria–China Trade and Investment Platform, including a proposed Promotion Centre in China to support Nigerian products, investors, and state governments.
The consortium also presented opportunities within Hainan Province’s Free Trade Port (FTP), which offers preferential policies that Nigerian businesses can leverage to expand exports and attract new investments.
In his address on behalf of Newryton, Mr Pong outlined plans to collaborate with NCSP in accessing FOCAC-supported financing for strategic investments in agriculture, energy, mining, solid minerals processing, and related sectors. The delegation identified aquaculture as a key area of interest and referenced the forthcoming Global Aquaculture Conference in Hainan Province, encouraging Nigerian stakeholders to participate.
They also expressed readiness to strengthen cooperation in vocational training and employment under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Welcoming the delegation on behalf of the Director-General, Martins Olajide, NCSP’s Head of Internal Operations, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to fostering mutually beneficial partnerships.
He highlighted NCSP’s strong interest in the proposed Nigeria–China Trade and Investment Platform and the development of the Nigerian Oil Palm Industrial Park as a flagship demonstration project.
Also speaking at the meeting, Ms Judy Melifonwu, NCSP’s Head of International Relations, underscored the opportunities presented by China’s zero-tariff policy and the forthcoming NAQS–GACC protocol on the export of Nigerian aquaculture products. She noted that these frameworks would significantly enhance Nigeria’s competitiveness in emerging global markets.
Both parties expressed commitment to advancing discussions toward a structured cooperation framework covering all priority areas.
-
Feature/OPED6 years agoDavos was Different this year
-
Travel/Tourism9 years ago
Lagos Seals Western Lodge Hotel In Ikorodu
-
Showbiz3 years agoEstranged Lover Releases Videos of Empress Njamah Bathing
-
Banking7 years agoSort Codes of GTBank Branches in Nigeria
-
Economy3 years agoSubsidy Removal: CNG at N130 Per Litre Cheaper Than Petrol—IPMAN
-
Banking3 years agoFirst Bank Announces Planned Downtime
-
Banking3 years agoSort Codes of UBA Branches in Nigeria
-
Sports3 years agoHighest Paid Nigerian Footballer – How Much Do Nigerian Footballers Earn