ABUJA, Nigeria – The Federal Government has announced that millions of social media accounts have been taken down in Nigeria under the recently introduced Code of Practice 2024, as global tech companies enforce stricter rules on harmful online content.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Director of Corporate Communications at the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Hajiya Hadiza Umar, commended the compliance of major platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), Google and Microsoft.
She said their actions reflect “a collective commitment to ensuring a safer and more responsible digital environment for Nigerians.”
According to the compliance report, 13,597,057 accounts were shut down, while 58,909,112 offensive posts were deleted. In addition, user complaints reached 754,629, with 420,439 pieces of content reinstated after successful appeals.
The Code of Practice, jointly issued by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), NITDA and the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), provides new guidelines to curb online harm, misinformation and harmful digital practices.
Umar stressed that the enforcement highlights the government’s resolve to protect citizens, particularly vulnerable groups, from harmful online activity. “This is not about censorship but about accountability and responsibility in digital spaces,” she said.
Observers note that the mass takedowns represent one of the largest coordinated digital compliance efforts in Africa, setting a precedent for regional online safety frameworks.
