The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Digital Rights and Freedom Bill

  • Coalition urges Buhari to review decision on digital bill

    A coalition of civil society organisations promoting digital rights in Nigeria and other African countries has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to review his decision on the Digital Rights and Freedom Bill.

    The coalition, in a statement at the weekend, expressed disappointment in President Buhari’s decision to decline assent to the Digital Rights and Freedom Bill.

    The bill, the group said, was meant to protect Internet users against the infringement of their fundamental freedoms and guarantee human rights online in the country.

    The organisations include Paradigm Initiative, African Academic Network on Internet Policy, Internet Society, Nigerian Chapter, Public and Private Development Centre, Dotunroy.com, Alliance for Affordable Internet – A4AI and World Wide Web Foundation. Others are Senegal ICT Users Association ( ASUTIC ), Enough is Enough Nigeria (EiE Nigeria), Jonction Senegal, TechHer NG and Fantsuam Foundation, Nigeria.

    President Buhari declined to assent to the bill on the grounds that it fails to address too many technical subjects and that some areas covered by the bill are also covered by ‘various bills pending at the National Assembly’.

    Read also: Youths: Buhari keen in ending corruption, poverty

    The coalition said: “The various bills as referred to in the letter are still merely bills which may or may not become laws. For instance, the Data Protection Bill (HB. 02) has been pending at the National Assembly (NASS) for up to eight years. Why then would Mr President miss an opportunity to fill the lacuna for these subject areas when a bill duly passed by the NASS has been presented for assent? We make this assertion with the knowledge that no law or bill is perfect.”

    According to the coalition, the Digital Rights and Freedom Bill does not conflict with any existing laws or the Constitution of the Federal Republic, and it is uncommon that a bill would be stood down because it could conflict with laws that might exist in the future.

    “Our opinion is that the decision not to sign the bill is nothing short of a  missed opportunity for Nigeria to send an important message to the rest of the world on its commitment to protect its citizens from abuse and create a positive regulatory environment for digital technology,” the coalition said.

  • Group urges President Buhari to sign digital rights Bill

    The African Civil Society for the Information Society (ACSIS), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to give presidential assent to the Digital Rights and Freedom Bill.

    Mr Peter Akinyemi, ACSIS West Africa Regional Coordinator, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday.

    NAN reports that the bill was transmitted to the president on Feb. 5, by the National Assembly.

    Akinyemi said timely assent to the bill would protect rights of every Nigerian on the internet and strengthen the security within the nation’s cyberspace.

    According to him, this digital rights and freedom bill will effectively protect the rights of Nigerians on the internet and in the digital environment.

    “It will also attract investments when the investors see that the environment is safe.

    “The bill will provide a comprehensive framework for the advancement, protection and enjoyment of human rights on the internet.

    “This is very necessary in consistence with Nigeria’s regional and international obligations under various international human rights instruments,’’ he said.

    Akinyemi also called on the Federal Government “to priotise ICT, come up with workable and inclusive framework and policies and strive for more PPP engagements.”

    According to the regional coordinator, this will create enabling environment for the technology sector and ensure that government services are driven in a digital economy.

    He said ACSIS, which was established in 2003 as a Pan-African civil society organisation, has membership of over 500 around the world.

    NAN reports that the bill, which has been in the National Assembly since 2016, was passed by both Senate and House of Representatives in 2018. (NAN)

  • Reps bill to protect social media users passes second reading

    Reps bill to protect social media users passes second reading

    A ‎bill to protect social media users against hate speech was passed through second reading yesterday by the House of Representatives.

    The bill with the title: A Bill for an Act to Provide for the Protection of Human Rights Online, was sponsored by a member, Hon. Chukwuemeka Ujam (PDP-Enugu),

    The piece of legislation, also known as the Digital Rights and Freedom Bill, seeks to guard and guide Nigerian internet users on their rights and to protect the rights from infringement.

    The bill was unanimously passed when the Speaker Yakubu Dogara called for a voice vote and was referred to the Committees on Telecommunications and Human Rights.

    The proposed bill, in Section 20(3), provides against hate speech online. while Section 12 of the Bill outlines the process to be followed before access is granted to governmental agencies and others to the personal data of citizens.

    Part of the provisions of the bill is the provision for the protection of citizen’s rights to the Internet and it’s free use without undue monitoring.

    Ujam while speaking on the bill at plenary said the proposed legislation is targeted at ensuring openness, Internet access, affordability and freedom of information online.

    According to him, despite being a subscriber to international charters which recognise freedom and access to the Internet as a human right, such as the African Union Convention on Cyber-Security and Personal Data Protection of 2014, Nigeria lacked a legal framework for the protection of internet users,

    He said: “For the first time in the history of Nigeria and by extension,Africa, offences relating to the ownership of personal data, hate speech online is addressed through the instrumentally of this piece of legislation called the Digital Rights Bill”.

    Aminu Shagari (APC-Sokoto) and Mohammed Sani Zoro (APC-Jigawa) while supporting the bill opined that unlike an earlier attempt to regulate the internet by the Senate, the Digital Rights Bill is designed for the protection of persons online.

    Sani Zoro especially harped on the need for creating awareness on the details of bill to prevent the public from mistaking it as  legislation that will restrict the freedom of internet users in the country.

  • Reps bill to protect social media users passes second reading

    Reps bill to protect social media users passes second reading

    A ‎bill to protect social media users against hate speech was passed through second reading Wednesday by the House of Representatives.

    The bill with the title: A Bill for an Act to Provide for the Protection of Human Rights Online, was sponsored by a member, Hon. Chukwuemeka Ujam (PDP-Enugu),

    The piece of legislation, also known as the Digital Rights and Freedom Bill, seeks to guard and guide Nigerian internet users on their rights and to protect the rights from infringement.

    The bill was unanimously passed when the Speaker Yakubu Dogara xpcalled for a voice vote and was referred to the Committees on Telecommunications and Human Rights.

    The proposed bill, in Section 20(3), provides against hate speech online. While Section 12 of the Bill outlines the process to be followed before access is granted to governmental agencies and others to the personal data of citizens.

    Part of the provisions of the bill is the provision for the protection of citizen’s rights to the Internet and it’s free use without undue monitoring.

    Ujam while speaking on the bill at plenary said the proposed legislation is targeted at ensuring openness, Internet access, affordability and freedom of information online.

    According to him, despite being a subscriber to international charters which recognise freedom and access to the Internet as a human right, such as the African Union Convention on Cyber-Security and Personal Data Protection of 2014, Nigeria lacked a legal framework for the protection of internet users,

    He said: “For the first time in the history of Nigeria and by extension, Africa, offences relating to the ownership of personal data, hate speech online is addressed through the instrumentally of this piece of legislation called the Digital Rights Bill”.

    Aminu Shagari (APC-Sokoto) and Mohammed Sani Zoro (APC-Jigawa) while supporting the bill opined that unlike an earlier attempt to regulate the internet by the Senate, the Digital Rights Bill is designed for the protection of persons online.

    Sani Zoro especially harped on the need for creating awareness on the details of bill to prevent the public from mistaking it as legislation that will restrict the freedom of internet users in the country.