3 important things FG wants Twitter to do before ban is lifted

Though the suspension follows Twitter's removal of a tweet posted by President Muhammadu Buhari, the Nigerian government said it suspended the operations of the microblogging platform because of its persistent use for activities that are capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence.

Despite outrage from Nigerians and the statements released by the members of the diplomatic community, the federal government has insisted the suspension will stand.

However, on Wednesday, June 9, the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, listed some of the conditions Twitter has to meet for the suspension to be lifted, The Cable reported.

1. Register with CAC

Noting that Twitter pays no taxes to the Nigerian government despite the revenue it generates from Nigerians, the minister said the social media platform has to register with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), a report by The Punch stated.

2. Obtain a license from the NBC

The information minister also stated that Twitter has to get an operation license from the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and then adhere to the conditions stipulated in the license.

3. Sanitise platform

Mohammed added that Twitter must stop allowing its platform to be used for activities that are inimical to the growth of Nigeria and its corporate existence. Meanwhile, the minister noted that the conditions he highlighted also apply to other social media platforms operating in Nigeria, including Facebook.

President Buhari's personal assistant on new media, Bashir Ahmad, also shared the statement credited to the information minister via Facebook.

He posted: "The ban imposed on Twitter, will be reversed when the microblogging site is duly registered, licensed, and operates within regulations stipulated in Nigeria, the Information and Culture Minister, Alhaji Lai Mohammed disclosed today, after the Federal Executive Council Meeting."