Federal Government has hinted on new moves to introduce censorship laws and regulatory framework for Over-The-Top (OTT) streaming services and content providers in Nigeria, saying that they can be used to “cause chaos” and undermine Nigeria’s democratic processes.
At a two-day conference, the government and industry stakeholders discussed “the implication of Nigeria censorship laws and regulatory framework for Over-The-Top (OTT) streaming services and content providers in Nigeria.”
According to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed in a two-day conference organized by NFVCB in Lagos, shared that the popularity and demand of streaming services in Nigeria increased with COVID-19 pandemic, “hence its regulation.”
He stated that streaming services could be used as a medium to “cause chaos” and undermine the country’s democratic processes hence the need for regulation.
Represented by Comfort Ajiboye, Director, Information and Technology in the ministry, Mohammed stressed that the increased demand for streaming services in Nigeria grew amid the pandemic.
In his opening address, NFVCB director Adedayo Thomas said that the conference was in a bid to bring together stakeholders in a conversation with the goal of creating policies and regulations for streaming service in the country.
He stated;
With over 50 per cent internet penetration, it has become imperative to convene this conference to bring together stakeholders and legislators in a conversation so as to come up with crystal policies on the regulation of streamers and content providers.
While reiterating the board’s promise to not stifle creativity, Thomas defended the government’s new approach by stating that streaming service providers were unable to self-regulate hence the need for regulatory policies.
He added;
The goal of regulation is not to stifle creativity but to create sanity and encourage healthy competition for socio-economic gains.
At the conference as a panelist was Netflix Director of Public Policy, Sub-Saharan Africa, Shola Sanni.
Participants include members of the various Guilds in Nollywood which included Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) and Directors Guild of Nigeria (DGN).
Others are Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Theatre and Movie Practitioners Association of Nigeria (TAMPAN), among others.
Also, there were representatives of local and international streaming services, Free To Air (FTA), Pay TV operators and other content creators.
Via NAN.
