The proposal by Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has sparked widespread debate across Nigeria. In a post on his X account on 25 August 2025, Olayinka called for the compulsory linking of social media accounts to the National Identification Number (NIN) and a valid government-issued ID, such as an international passport, voter’s card, or driver’s license, to curb the spread of misinformation and promote online accountability.
He stated, “NIN, Valid Identity Card (International Passport, Voter’s Card, Driver’s Licence). These two should be made compulsory to open and operate social media accounts. This proposal seeks to reduce misinformation and increase online accountability.”
This comes at a time when Nigeria grapples with rising digital challenges, including fake news that has influenced public discourse, elections, and security issues.
According to the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), as of February 2025, over 117.3 million Nigerians have enrolled for NIN, representing about 50 percent of the estimated population of 235 million. This marks a significant increase from 104.16 million at the end of 2023, with monthly enrollments averaging around 844,167 in 2023, though still falling short of the government’s target of 2.5 million per month under the National Development Plan 2021-2025.
Lagos leads with 12.6 million registrations, followed by Kano with 10.2 million and Kaduna with 6.9 million, reflecting urban concentration and population density.
The NIN system, already mandatory for services like SIM card registration, banking, and voter enrollment, has been credited with reducing identity fraud in these sectors by linking biometric data to personal details, as per NIMC reports.
Data from DataReportal’s Digital 2025 report indicates that as of January 2025, there were 38.7 million social media user identities in the country, equivalent to 16.4 percent of the total population. This is up from 36.75 million in early 2024, a 5.2 percent increase.
WhatsApp remains the most popular platform, used by over 95 percent of internet users aged 16 to 64, followed by Facebook with 36.75 million users and YouTube with nearly 6.7 million in 2022 projections extending into 2025.
However, this growth has been marred by misinformation challenges. A 2025 report by the Centre for Countering Digital Hate highlighted that Twitter (now X) is the most harmful platform in Nigeria, with 34 percent of users reporting negative experiences like cyberbullying, misinformation, and harassment.
Globally, over 72 percent of internet users encounter misinformation on social platforms monthly, with sub-Saharan Africa seeing a 75 percent rise in health-related falsehoods due to low digital literacy. In Nigeria, bots and anonymous accounts have amplified disinformation during elections, with a 33 percent increase in such content targeting ethnic groups or voting infrastructure in emerging democracies like Nigeria in early 2025.
Supporters of Olayinka’s proposal argue it aligns with global trends where verified identities have proven effective in reducing online harms. For instance, platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook already offer optional verification using government IDs, which has helped curb fake profiles in professional networking.
In countries like Estonia and Singapore, digital ID systems integrated with social media have enhanced accountability, with studies showing a 40-50 percent drop in bot-driven disinformation after mandatory verification.
Extending NIN to social media could create a unified framework, similar to its role in telecoms, where it has linked over 205 million mobile connections to verified identities, reducing anonymous fraud by up to 30 percent, according to NCC data.
Olayinka’s idea echoes calls from experts who note that verified accounts make it harder for trolls and bots to thrive, potentially decreasing misinformation engagement by 9 percent year-over-year, as per 2025 global simulations.
In Nigeria, where 60 percent of users have reported online harm but believe no action was taken, such measures could foster trust, with Instagram noted as the most responsive platform at 26 percent effective complaint resolution.
Yet, the proposal has drawn sharp criticism for potentially eroding privacy and free speech. Human rights advocates, including those from Amnesty International, warn that mandatory NIN linkage could enable government surveillance, especially in a context where dissent is often stifled.
Nigeria’s Cybercrimes Act of 2015 already criminalizes online falsehoods with penalties up to three years imprisonment, but critics argue that extending NIN to social media risks abuse, as seen in past blocks of pro-Biafra sites without transparent processes.
A 2022 study on Nigeria’s digital ID program highlighted ethical concerns, including data misuse and the exclusion of vulnerable groups without access to NIN, with over 10 percent of the population lacking legal ID.
Globally, similar mandates in the EU’s Digital Services Act have raised fears of overreach, with 46 percent of UK users in 2024 viewing platforms’ handling of misinformation during riots as inadequate due to privacy invasions.
In Nigeria, where 52 percent of Democrats (per a 2023 survey) trust social media for news but distrust grows with age, such policies could alienate youth, who form 58.3 percent of users.
Fairview Africa, a local media outlet, engaged residents in Abuja to gauge grassroots sentiments. Miss Clara, a 28-year-old woman, expressed support, saying, “I think it’s a very good idea because it will make people stop fake news online. A lot of people wake up and decide to post something that’s not true or something that’s not even real. This initiative will make people responsible. Before you post, you will think. Before you say something online, you will think.”
Her view aligns with data showing that verified identities could reduce bot accounts, which constitute 47 percent of misinformation during crises.
Another resident countered, “For my personal view, it’s not accepted because if the government should implement such a law, it will put people in fear. People will not be able to express themselves; they may not have the freedom to post vital information.”
This echoes broader concerns from civil society, where 60 percent of Nigerians reported online harm in 2025 but felt platforms failed to act, fearing further government control.
X posts reflect this divide. One user, @TheNationNews, reposted Olayinka’s statement, garnering 344 likes and 278 replies, with many praising the accountability push, but others decrying it as a “chilling effect on free speech.”
Another post by @alaye_ng highlighted the controversy, noting critics’ warnings of infringement on rights, with 597 views and mixed engagement.
The NITDA’s 2022 Code of Practice already mandates platforms to combat illegal content, with fines up to 6 percent of revenue, yet enforcement remains uneven.
