Abuja: The Nigerian government has lifted the ban on Twitter, imposed in June last year, saying the micro-blogging platform has agreed to set “a legal entity” in the west African nation during the first quarter of this year.
The Nigerian government had indefinitely suspended Twitter after it accused the micro-blogging platform of double standards and supporting the secessionists in the country.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) directs me to inform the public that President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, has approved the lifting of the suspension of Twitter operation in Nigeria effective from 12 a.m. tonight, 13th January 2022,” read the statement from Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, the director-general of Nigeria’s tech agency, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
Abdullahi said that the establishment of Twitter’s legal entity is its “first step in demonstrating its long-term commitment to Nigeria”.
Twitter will also appoint a “designated country representative” to hold talks with the Nigerian government when required.
“Twitter has agreed to comply with applicable tax obligations on its operations under Nigerian law. Twitter has agreed to enrol Nigeria in its Partner Support and Law Enforcement Portals,” the statement read.
Last year, the government expressed doubts about Twitter’s operations in the country, after it deleted a tweet by President Muhammadu Buhari who made a reference to the country’s 30-month civil war in 1967-1970, warning “those who wanted the government to fail” to desist from fomenting trouble.
Twitter had deleted the President’s post, following criticisms from some netizens.
IANS