Broadcasting
Preparing for Digital Disruptions During Africa’s Year of Elections
By ‘Gbenga Sesan
This year, 23 African countries will hold elections – ranging from local to parliamentary and presidential. Considering that election seasons are known to come with many digital rights violations, including internet shutdowns, digital platform clampdowns, privacy breaches and other digital restrictions, it is essential to pay attention, anticipate likely infringements and work to ensure the respect of citizen rights in the digital sphere, alongside others.
Over the last two years, the internet has been shut down by the governments of the Republic of the Congo, Niger, Uganda and Zambia during election periods. Of the five African countries that shut down the internet in 2022, one of them (Somalia) held elections the same year, while three (Sierra Leone, Sudan and Zimbabwe) have elections planned for 2023. Burkina Faso’s shutdown may not be directly linked to elections, but it is connected to the country’s January 2022 coup d’état.
In 2023, presidential elections will hold in Gabon, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Sudan and Zimbabwe. All of them, except Madagascar, have shut down the internet or restricted the use of digital platforms. Apart from Libya, all the other countries that have elections in 2023 and have disrupted access to the internet or digital platforms before did so within the last three years. Will they do so again, under the guise of preventing the spread of misinformation, countering dangerous speech, possible violence or any other excuse used in the past, as they approach elections in 2023?
Gabon has had the same president since October 2009. After Omar Bongo – who had been the country’s president for 42 years – died in June 2009, his son, Ali Bongo Ondimba, Minister of Defense at the time, won the elections conducted four months later. The January 2019 internet shutdown in Gabon happened during a military coup attempt, and the government refused to respond to civil society enquiry on the reason for the shutdown.
Liberia cut off access to its most popular social media platform during protests in June 2019. Libya’s disputed elections have been postponed three times in the past four years. Still, the country is no stranger to digital rights violations during public interest events, beginning with its February 2011 shutdown of internet and international phone services in response to protests.
In June 2021, Nigeria announced a nationwide shutdown of access to a social media platform considered one of the country’s last-standing civic spaces. Even though an Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Court of Justice ruling declared the government’s decision to suspend Twitter “unlawful and inconsistent with the country’s international obligations” and “ ordered Nigeria to ensure the unlawful suspension would not reoccur and to take necessary steps to amend its laws to be in conformity with the rights and freedoms enshrined in the ACHPR and ICCPR”, the government has refused to confirm that such violations will not reoccur.
In August 2022, Paradigm Initiative (PIN), a Pan African organization that advocates for digital rights and inclusion, and other digital rights stakeholders condemned an internet shutdown that followed during citizen protests in Sierra Leone. Even for a country where only 6.5% of the population has access to the Internet, South Sudan shut down the internet ahead of planned protests in August 2021. Even though a Sudan court ordered the end of the internet shutdown that followed protests against a military coup in October 2021, it did not stop the country from repeating the violation again in June 2022, ahead of planned protests. Speaking on the June 2022 shutdown, the Sudanese Engineers Syndicate said, “…cutting off internet and communication services in Sudan has become a pattern and led to many violations.
In January 2019, Zimbabwe shut down the internet in response to citizens’ protests. At the end of the three-day closure ordered by the government, it asked telecommunications companies to implement shutdowns a second time in the same week. A judge ruled that the shutdown was illegal but that did not stop another shutdown at the end of July 2020.
For countries that have developed the habit of disrupting digital access during significant democratic events, it appears that judicial pronouncements, civil society condemnation or citizen dissent are never enough to prevent future violations. However, it is important to prepare for the likelihood of such violations of digital rights and challenge them to prevent impunity.
As all twenty-three African countries go to the polls, the task of protecting citizen rights – including preventing, condemning and/or seeking redress – does not rest on civil society organisations and activists alone. We must all work to ensure that a continent that lost $261 million to internet shutdowns in 2022 and desperately needs to maximise digital opportunities for its citizens stays off the path of digital clampdowns that do not serve anyone’s interest.
We must support the work of digital rights actors who continue to document evidence of digital rights infractions, provide information on how to stay safe and help citizens seek redress when violations happen. Through the annual Londa report, PIN has documented digital rights violations and significant policy updates across African countries since 2016. Each year since 2019, Londa, which included 22 independent country reports in 2021, forms the basis of short films produced by PIN to condense the message into less than thirty minutes of infotainment.
The short film based on the 2021 report, Finding Diana , is available on PIN’s YouTube page, as well as the 2020 film, Focus, and 2019 film, Training Day. Building on information from the reports and short films that expose violations and deliberate bad practices, PIN developed a digital rights toolkit, Ayeta, to educate digital rights actors and other citizens on how to protect themselves in digital spaces. If violations happen despite citizen action to protect themselves, the Ripoti platform provides an opportunity to report incidents and seek legal redress.
During elections, PIN provides country-specific information on how to stay online if digital clampdowns happen. The first edition of the Digital Rights and Elections in Africa Meetings (DREAM) was held in Abuja on February 7, 2023, ahead of Nigeria’s February 25 and March 11 general elections. Similar editions are planned to hold ahead of elections in other countries. We know that election seasons are fraught with violations and so we must prepare for digital disruptions.
However, as it happened in 2020 in Ghana and 2022 in Kenya, it is possible that no digital disruptions will be reported in most countries. Civil society organisations working in both countries will tell you that it requires a lot of work to avoid disruptions. Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty, in this case, because there are many competing interests during elections, and even in countries with no record of digital rights violations, some of those interests are served by clampdowns on the opposition and dissenting voices.
The best time to prepare for likely violations is before they happen, and it is your duty and mine to make that preparation happen across the African countries that will hold elections in 2023.
The writer is the Executive Director of Paradigm Initiative and a member of the United Nations Secretary General’s Internet Governance Forum (IGF) Leadership Panel.
The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has reaffirmed its commitment to promoting responsible, responsive and sustainable access to creative works in the digital environment, in a manner that balances the interests of all stakeholders within the copyright and knowledge ecosystem.
Dr. John Asein, Director-General, NCC, made this known while receiving a delegation from the Wikimedia Nigeria Foundation, led by its President, Mr. Olushola Olaniyan, during a courtesy visit to the Commission’s headquarters. The visit was aimed at exploring potential areas of collaboration between the two organisations.
Dr. Asein acknowledged the significant role Wikimedia plays in making knowledge and information widely accessible, while stressing the need for responsible use of copyright-protected works in the digital space.
He noted that although the Commission may not endorse unrestricted open access to all creative works, it supports responsible access that ensures a fair balance between public interest and the rights of creators.
He encouraged Wikimedia, other digital platform operators, and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to promote the responsible use of the copyright system to safeguard the interests of rights holders and strengthen the knowledge economy.
Dr. Asein cautioned the public that freely available doesn’t mean that creative works online are all free. “We want to see more people buy into the responsible use of copyright system in the digital space, in a manner that will further edify right owners and keep the knowledge cycles running for the good of all stakeholders” he stressed.
The DG also highlighted the importance of the public domain and assured that the Commission will continue to draw attention to its value, as part of a broader effort to help all parties benefit from the copyright framework. He further briefed the Wikimedia delegation on key provisions of the Copyright Act, 2022, including updates on the NCC’s e-Registration System, copyright duration, compulsory licensing, and the protection of folklore and cultural heritage.
In response, Mr. Olaniyan expressed appreciation to the NCC management and staff for their ongoing work in strengthening Nigeria’s copyright landscape. He reaffirmed Wikimedia Nigeria Foundation’s commitment to supporting the Commission’s efforts to advance and protect the nation’s creative and knowledge economy.
The meeting concluded with a discussion on potential areas of collaboration, including joint copyright awareness campaigns, digital space engagement, and enlightenment training sessions.
The Wikimedia Nigeria Foundation, an affiliate of the Wikimedia Foundation Inc., is dedicated to promoting free knowledge and open access to information by encouraging the creation and dissemination of locally relevant content under open licenses such as Creative Commons.
Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA) has responded to recent apprehensions suggesting a resurgence of heavy-handed regulation and arbitrary enforcement in the State’s outdoor advertising sector. While acknowledging the concerns, LASAA sought to reaffirm its commitment to regulatory fairness, industry professionalism and the sustainable growth of outdoor advertising in Lagos.
Refuting claims that LASAA intends to “wield the big stick,” the Agency drew attention to its longstanding practice of fostering dialogue and partnership with industry stakeholders.
Prince Fatiu Akiolu, Managing Director of the Agency stated, “The era of mutual suspicion is firmly behind us,” adding that the Agency “regularly convenes stakeholder fora, maintains cordial relationships with industry players, offers concessions such as discounts on vacant billboard charges and seeks stakeholders input before making major policy decisions.”
Prince Akiolu clarified that LASAA does not compete with private operators commercially. Instead, it manages a limited number of state-approved advertising structures primarily reserved to amplify government programmes, public awareness initiatives and regulatory oversight. These, with the Agency’s core mandate focusing on orderliness, public safety, and environmental aesthetics.
He said these efforts aim to serve the broader interests of Lagos residents and reiterated that the Agency’s core mandate remains the enforcement of orderliness, public safety and environmental aesthetics within the state.
On licensing, the Managing Director explained that stringent criteria ensure only qualified practitioners operate in the market. Addressing concerns about billboard oversupply, particularly around military and police formations where illegal structures are common, he noted that LASAA has imposed a moratorium on new registrations and permits since early 2025. “This moratorium intends to uphold industry integrity and elevate professional standards.”
Prince Fatiu explained that, “the Agency’s Health and Safety team actively verifies that outdoor installations meet engineering and safety benchmarks to mitigate risks to life and property.”
He noted that LASAA’s regulatory approach is primarily preventive rather than punitive and relies on monitoring, early warnings and corrective interventions, with enforcement used only when absolutely necessary.
Acknowledging ongoing challenges such as violations of spacing, setback and structural regulations, the MD attributed these mainly to lapses in operator compliance rather than regulatory overreach. He urged stakeholders, including the Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria (OAAN) and licensed professionals, to strengthen self-regulation and collaborate in reporting infractions to enhance Lagos’s safety, visual appeal and economic vibrancy.
To prevent a relapse into disorder, LASAA has launched a comprehensive enforcement and cleanup operation targeting unlawful advertising installations to restore urban order and protect public interests. Prince Fatiu stressed the essential role outdoor advertising plays in defining Lagos’s visual identity and called for responsible industry stewardship.
He reiterated LASAA’s commitment to maintaining a balanced regulatory framework that ensures oversight while supporting industry sustainability. This approach aims to create a transparent environment that safeguards investments and enhances the city’s aesthetics.
The Managing Director reassured the public and outdoor advertising professionals that LASAA’s mandate is not to stifle growth or punish legitimate operators but to ensure a fair, regulated and sustainable outdoor advertising sector in Lagos. He reaffirmed his dedication to nurturing an environment that protects investments, safeguards the public and enhances the beauty of Lagos.
Broadcasting
BBNaija Housemates Pick Tinsel, Princess on a Hill, and My Flatmates as Must-Watch Shows on Showmax
Big Brother Naija Season 10 is now in its fourth week, and it’s already been a rollercoaster, packed with unexpected twists, bold new strategies, and all-round entertainment that has kept us glued to our screens.
The season kicked off with 29 housemates, with KayiKunmi, Danboskid, Ibifubara and Otega now evicted and Sabrina making a voluntary exit. Ships have sailed, sunk, and more are on the way. In short, it has been an exciting season of 10/10 drama.
Before stepping into the house, the housemates curated a list of their top shows to watch on Showmax, placing popular Nigerian shows like Tinsel, Princess on a Hill and My Flatmates at the top of their watch list.
Leading the pack is Tinsel. Considered Nigeria’s longest-running drama, the soap opera weaves a story of drama, romance, betrayal, and triumph, all set against the glamorous yet cutthroat world of Nigeria’s film industry. With standout performances from Nollywood veterans like Ireti Doyle, Funlola Aofiyebi-Raimi, the late Victor Olaotan, and breakout stars like Gideon Okeke and Linda Ejiofor, its spot on the list is incontestable.
Joining Tinsel is the Showmax Original, Princess on a Hill (POAH), a Showmax original that delivers high-stakes drama in a corporate setting. The story follows Zara Osara (Onyinye Odokoro), an underdog who wins a reality show only to find herself thrust into the most powerful boardroom in the country. Tasked with salvaging the very company that gave her fame, Zara must navigate ruthless corporate politics and stand her ground against the merciless CEO, Moyosore Lawson (Bimbo Manuel). It’s thrilling and reminiscent of the drama many Nigerians face in the corporate world.
For a perfect balance between reality and comedy, My Flatmates brings the laughs with a tale centred around four friends navigating adulting, relationships, and rent money in Lagos. Featuring comic heavyweights like Basketmouth, Okey Bakassi, and Buchi, it’s equal parts witty and ridiculous.
While the housemates love their fair share of homegrown dramas, acclaimed international series also made their lists. Sci-fi epics like Dune, with its surreal visuals, and fantasy period dramas like Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon dominated the list as well. Meanwhile, for lovers of unscripted drama, the housemates recommended shows like Nelly & Ashanti, Love Island USA and The Real Housewives of Atlanta.
Even though the housemates are cut off from the world, their taste is reflective of what Nigerians love to watch. From nostalgic classics to hilarious comedy dramas, Showmax has it all and more.
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