FG Asks House Of Reps To Amend NBC Act To Regulate Social & Online Media

The Federal Government of Nigeria has tasked the House of Representatives to amend the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) act.

This is aimed at empowering the NBC to regulate social and online media and this was made known by the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed.

The minister made the request in Abuja, on Wednesday, June 16, 2021, when he spoke during a public hearing on a bill to amend the National Broadcasting Commission Act which was organized by the House Committee on Information, National Orientation, Ethics, and Values.

We have chanced upon section two (b) of the NBC act which states;

“(1) The Commission shall have [the] responsibility of Receiving, processing and considering applications for the establishment, ownership or operation of radio and television stations including (i) cable television services, direct satellite broadcast and any other medium of broadcasting.”

The Federal Government through the minister is seeking to give the commission the ability to also be able to regulate the online media in addition to other channels of broadcasting.

In his submission, he said;

“I want to add here specifically that internet broadcasting and all online media should be included in this because we have a responsibility to monitor contents, including Twitter.”