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Nigerian Government Lifts Twitter Ban, Nigerians React!

After 7 months of suspended use, the Nigerian government on Wednesday the 12th of January announced that it had lifted the ban on the micro-blogging platform, Twitter effective from Thursday the 13th of January, 12 AM.

The government said that Twitter had agreed to all of her terms and conditions hence its decision to restore its activities in the country.

The head of the National Information Technology Development Agency, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi broke the news in a statement saying;

“Twitter has agreed to act with a respectful acknowledgment of Nigerian laws and the national culture and history on which such legislation has been built and work with the FGN [federal government of Nigeria] and the broader industry to develop a code of conduct in line with global best practices, applicable in almost all developed countries.”

Among the list of the government’s demands, Twitter agreed to open a local office in the first quarter of 2022, get registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and comply with applicable tax obligations on its operations under Nigerian law, as well as appoint a designated country representative to interface with Nigerian authorities.

The government said that Twitter also agreed to give the government the right to take down any tweet it considers a threat to the nation’s peace and security.

Twitter responded to the suspension of the ban in a tweet promising its commitment to driving civic participation. The Twitter post read;

We are pleased that Twitter has been restored for everyone in Nigeria. Our mission in Nigeria and around the world is to serve the public conversation.

We are deeply committed to Nigeria, where Twitter is used by people for commerce, cultural engagement, and civic participation.

We’re committed to integrating diverse perspectives that make our service better for everyone.

The Nigerian government had placed a ban on the micro-blogging platform in June of 2021 after Twitter took down a tweet by the president issuing a violent threat to South-East secessionists following an attack on public property. The government said the ban was placed because of its “persistent use of the platform for activities that are capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence”.

Read Also: READ President Buhari’s Letter Refusing Assent to Electoral Act Amendment Bill

The ban was condemned by angered Nigerians as well as diplomats from the EU, UK, Ireland, Norway, and Canada who said the ban undermined the freedom of expression of citizens as well as sent a wrong message to investors. Consequently, the ban cost Nigerian businesses billions of naira.

Nigerians, including opposition politicians, continued to use the platform form, accessing it with the use of Virtual Private Network (VPN).

Following the lift of the ban, many Nigerians expressed relief, and in typical Nigerian style, with a dose of humor. Amid the relief and humor, Nigerians did not fail to recognize the obvious fact that the government’s decision to lift the ban was connected to the forthcoming elections. The current ruling APC harnessed the power of social media influence to install the current President, Muhammadu Buhari.

“With elections a little over a year away, the current ruling party, which ascended to the national stage largely on the back of a successful social media campaign, understands how vital Twitter remains as a public square for accessing, and more importantly, influencing the perspectives of Nigerians.cIt is in that sense that the Twitter ban must be assessed,” said Ikemesit Effiong head of research at SBM Intelligence, a political risk analysis firm in Lagos during an interview with Al Jazeera.

Here are some reactions on the Twitter ban

 

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Frank Edoho confirms end of second marriage

Nigerian media personality and television host Frank Edoho has announced that his second marriage has come to an end.

He disclosed this during an appearance on the latest episode of the Tea With Tay podcast.

Edoho, of ‘Who Wants to be a Millionaire’ fame, got into his second marriage when he married Sandra Onyenuchenuya in 2013 after the crash of his first marriage to Katherine Obiang in 2011.

Dropping the latest update on his marital situation during the interview, Frank admitted that he’s probably not good at marriage.

He noted, however, that he did all within his power and even stretched himself to ensure the success of both marriages, but they ultimately ended in ruin.

He said, “Maybe I’m not good at marriage, I must confess. The two women I had been married to are not my soul mates. Love of your life is different from your soul mate. The love of your life is the person who comes to your mind when you think of love. But your soul mate is someone who understands you even before you express yourself, and you naturally align with.

“I know that I went above and beyond for the two marriages. I carried my partner… I can abandon everything for her. But you don’t blame them for falling out of love with you. Take the footballer Kaka, for example, he’s a Brazilian and he looks as handsome as an Indian.

“Very handsome guy, even when he retired from football, he was still handsome. But his wife divorced him. Do you know what she said? ‘He is too good.’”

Edoho and Sandra, who was pregnant, had their traditional wedding in 2013, followed by their white wedding in 2017, a year after they welcomed their second child. Their first child was born in 2014.

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APC begins process to replace Ganduje as national chairman

APC National Convention

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has commenced internal consultations to fill the position of National Chairman, following the sudden resignation of Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

Ganduje stepped down from the party’s top role last week, citing “urgent and personal matters”, less than a year after assuming office.

He took over from Abdullahi Adamu in August 2023. Speaking on the development, APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, confirmed during a Channels Television interview on Sunday that the party was already working to address the vacancy without delay.

“We will take steps immediately to fill that vacancy,” Morka stated, noting that the APC leadership was moving with speed to prevent a prolonged vacuum in the party’s hierarchy.

Consultations Underway for New Leadership
Although no date has been fixed yet for a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting to formalise the transition, Morka assured that arrangements are in motion.

“As we speak, that process has been triggered, and consultations are ongoing,” he said, adding that the NEC meeting would be convened “really soon.”

The party is expected to reach a consensus through broad-based engagement with stakeholders before announcing a substantive chairman.

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Tinubu Signs New Tax Code Into Law

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has officially signed into law four landmark Tax Reform Bills, marking a significant shift in Nigeria’s tax landscape.

The move follows months of policy work, reviews, and consultations aimed at modernising a tax system long criticised as complex, unfair, and burdensome for small businesses.

The new laws include the Nigeria Tax Bill, Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill.

Together, they aim to streamline tax collection, enhance transparency, promote equity among states, and protect taxpayers’ rights.

“This is not just another item checked off a list. It is one of the most transformative economic decisions Nigeria has seen in years,” said columnist Arabinrin Aderonke Atoyebi in a strongly worded piece.

The Nigerian Tax Bill consolidates existing tax laws into a single, more user-friendly framework.

Meanwhile, the Administration Bill introduces standardised, digital collection processes to ease compliance for citizens and businesses.

Under the reforms, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has been replaced by a more independent body, the Nigeria Revenue Service, with a broader mandate covering both tax and non-tax revenues. A key highlight is the restructuring of Value Added Tax (VAT) sharing.

For the first time, states will retain 30% of the VAT they generate. Another 50% will be shared equally among all states, and the remaining 20% will be distributed based on population.

Analysts say this change incentivizes states to improve their local economies and tax collection efficiency.

The reforms also grant exemptions to small businesses earning below ₦50 million annually from paying company income tax, a measure expected to benefit thousands of micro and small enterprises nationwide.

“These laws speak the language people understand. They offer relief from the constant anxiety of multiple levies, unclear charges, and unpredictable policies,” Atoyebi said.

The legislation introduces oversight mechanisms such as a Tax Appeal Tribunal and Tax Ombudsman, aiming to strengthen accountability and fairness in the tax system.

Praise was extended to Dr. Zacch Adedeji, Executive Chairman of the FIRS, who played a central role in the reform process.

Atoyebi wrote, “He put his head down, did the work, and it’s showing now.”

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