Stakeholders in Nigeria demand greater tech platform accountability

Stakeholders in Nigeria, including journalists, regulators, and civil society actors, have called for increased scrutiny of technology platforms to address a growing digital accountability gap. During a multistakeholder dialogue in Abuja organized by the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), participants discussed the risks posed by digital harms such as deepfake scams, social media fraud, and misinformation.

Dapo Olorunyomi, CEO of CJID, noted that consequential power has shifted from governments to private technology companies. He highlighted that these platforms influence communication, commerce, and politics through algorithms that are often difficult for citizens and regulators to scrutinize. Olorunyomi warned that without meaningful accountability, the digital environment could expose citizens to exploitation, manipulation, and privacy violations, while emphasizing the need to balance safety regulations with the protection of freedom of expression.