By our Reporter
The Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, Lere Olayinka, has urged the federal government to enforce stricter rules governing social media use in Nigeria.
In a statement shared via his X account on Monday, Olayinka proposed that Nigerians should be required to present both their National Identification Number (NIN) and a valid government-issued identification before being allowed to create or operate social media accounts.
He wrote, “NIN, Valid Identity Card (International Passport, Voter’s Card, Driver’s Licence). These two should be made compulsory to open and operate social media accounts. This proposal seeks to reduce misinformation and increase online accountability.”
Nigeria’s NIN system is already a prerequisite for services such as banking and telecommunications, linking individuals’ identities to critical aspects of daily life. Olayinka argued that applying the same system to social media would help curb the spread of misinformation by making it more difficult for anonymous accounts, fake profiles, and bots to thrive.
By tying social media use to verified identity frameworks, he noted, Nigeria could strengthen digital accountability in the same way it has regulated telecommunications and financial transactions.
