Editing Telecommunications in Nigeria (section)

===Internet censorship and surveillance===

Listed by the [[OpenNet Initiative]] as no evidence of Internet filtering in all four areas for which they test (political, social, conflict/security, and Internet tools) in October 2009.<ref name=ONICountryProfiles>[http://opennet.net/research/profiles "ONI Country Profiles"], Research section at the OpenNet Initiative web site, a collaborative partnership of the Citizen Lab at the Munk School of Global Affairs, University of Toronto; the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University; and the SecDev Group, Ottawa.</ref>

There are few government restrictions on access to the Internet or credible reports the government monitors [[e-mail]] or Internet [[chat rooms]]. Although the constitution and law provide for [[freedom of speech]], including for members of the press, the government sometimes restricts these rights in practice. [[Libel]] is a civil offense and requires defendants to prove the truth of opinion or value judgment contained in news reports or commentaries. Penalties include two years' imprisonment and possible fines. Militant groups such as [[Boko Haram]] threaten, attack, and kill journalists in connection with their reporting of the sect's activities. Journalists practice [[self-censorship]].<ref name=USDOS-CRHRP-Nigeria-2012>[https://2009-2017.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/humanrightsreport/index.htm?year=2012&dlid=204153 "Nigeria"], ''Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2012'', Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, U.S. Department of State, 4 April 2013. Retrieved 22 February 2014.</ref>

Reporting on political corruption and security issues has proved to be particularly sensitive. On 24 October 2012 police in [[Bauchi State]] arraigned civil servant Abbas Ahmed Faggo before a court for allegedly defaming the character of Governor [[Isa Yuguda]] after he posted messages on his [[Facebook]] account accusing the governor of spending public funds on his son's wedding. On 4 November, the court discharged Faggo, but media reported the state government fired him later that month.<ref name=USDOS-CRHRP-Nigeria-2012/>

During 2012 several Internet news sites critical of the government experienced server problems, which site owners attributed to government interference. Such disruptions usually lasted a few hours.<ref name=USDOS-CRHRP-Nigeria-2012/>

In 2008 two journalists were arrested for publishing online articles and photos critical of the government.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120616152415/http://en.rsf.org/nigeria-second-online-journalist-arrested-04-11-2008,29185 "Second online journalist arrested in one week"], Reporters Without Borders, 4 November 2008.</ref>

On 4 June 2021, the Minister of Information and Culture announced that the federal government would "suspend" all operations of [[Twitter]] in the country for performing actions that "[undermine] Nigeria’s corporate existence", and that the federal government would order the [[National Broadcasting Commission]] to "immediately commence the process of licensing all OTT and social media operations" in the country. This came after Twitter deleted posts by and [[Twitter suspensions|suspended]] the account of President [[Muhammadu Buhari]] for violating its abuse policy, for making threats against the separatist group [[Indigenous People of Biafra]] which had invoked the [[Nigerian Civil War]] as a theme. Buhari criticised the actions for infringing his freedom of speech.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2021-06-04|title=Nigeria to suspend Twitter 'indefinitely'|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-57363779|access-date=2021-06-04}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Akinwotu|first=Emmanuel|date=2 June 2021|title=Twitter deletes Nigerian president's 'abusive' Biafra tweet|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jun/02/twitter-deletes-nigerian-presidents-abusive-biafra-tweet|access-date=2 June 2021|work=The Guardian}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Nigeria suspends Twitter operations, says platform 'undermines its corporate existence'|url=https://techcrunch.com/2021/06/04/nigeria-suspends-twitter-operations-says-platform-undermines-its-corporate-existence/|access-date=2021-06-04|website=TechCrunch|date=4 June 2021 |language=en-US}}</ref> Pursuant to this action, Twitter has been blocked in Nigeria as of 5 June, and use of the service was made a prosecutable offence.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Nigeria bans Twitter after company deletes President Buhari's tweet|url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/04/africa/nigeria-suspends-twitter-operations-intl/index.html|access-date=2021-06-06|website=CNN|date=4 June 2021 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|author=Nimi Princewill and Stephanie Busari|title=Nigerians can now be prosecuted for sending tweets following ban on Twitter|url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/05/africa/nigeria-prosecute-twitter-users-intl/index.html|access-date=2021-06-06|website=CNN|date=5 June 2021 }}</ref> On 13 January 2022, Nigerian government revoked the ban on Twitter after the company agreed to set up a subsidiary in Nigeria for judicial compliance.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Nigeria lifts ban on Twitter, says the social media giant has met conditions|url=https://techcrunch.com/2022/01/12/nigeria-lifts-ban-on-twitter-says-the-social-media-giant-has-met-some-conditions/|access-date=2022-01-14|website=TechCrunch|date=12 January 2022 |language=en-US}}</ref>