At the 19th Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, emphasized the need for ethical and responsible governance of digital technologies in Africa. Speaking to global leaders at the event themed “Building Our Multi-stakeholder Digital Future,” Inuwa underscored the dangers of unregulated social media, referencing the Cambridge Analytica scandal as a critical reminder for stronger digital oversight.
Inuwa detailed Nigeria’s proactive measures, such as the implementation of the Code of Practice (COP), a regulatory framework designed to ensure social media platforms comply with Nigerian laws while respecting local cultural values. This framework has significantly enhanced content moderation, resulting in the removal of over 60 million harmful posts in 2024, while also reinstating wrongly flagged content.
He also noted the economic benefits of this initiative, highlighting that tech companies contributed over 2.5 trillion naira in Value Added Tax (VAT) within six months.
Inuwa called on African nations to collaborate in shaping global technology governance, emphasizing the need to build digital sovereignty and strengthen regional capacities for a sustainable digital future.