Federal government has confirmed the closure of 13,597,057 social media accounts over harmful content and breaches of the country’s digital code of practice.

The figure was contained in the Code of Practice 2024 Compliance Report, submitted by major technology firms including Google, Microsoft, and TikTok.

The report outlined efforts made by online platforms to curb offensive content and strengthen user protection.

The compliance framework, introduced in 2022 and jointly enforced by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), and the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), required platforms to address user complaints and remove content that violates community guidelines or national regulations.

According to the latest report, social media platforms collectively deleted 58,909,112 posts flagged as offensive within the year.

Authorities also recorded 754,629 user complaints, while 420,439 pieces of content were reinstated following successful appeals.

In a statement issued by Hadiza Umar, spokesperson, NITDA, commended global platforms for what she described as “continued compliance” with Nigeria’s Code of Practice. She noted that the submission of the annual reports demonstrates a shared commitment to creating a safer digital environment.

“The compliance reports provide valuable insights into the platforms’ efforts to address user safety concerns in line with the Code of Practice and their community guidelines,” Umar said.

“We remain committed to working with industry players, civil society, and regulatory partners to strengthen user safety measures, enhance digital literacy, and promote trust and transparency in Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.”

The government said the monitoring exercise underscores its drive to ensure that Nigeria’s growing digital space remains secure, responsible, and free from harmful content.

Federal government has announced plans to streamline identity management in Nigeria through the rollout of the Nigeria Data Exchange Platform (NGDX), a centralised system designed to eliminate the burden of repeated data submissions by citizens across multiple agencies.

For years, Nigerians have faced the frustration of presenting the same personal details and biometrics for services such as National Identification Number (NIN) registration, driver’s licences, Bank Verification Numbers (BVN), SIM card registration, and international passports.

The NGDX aims to put an end to this duplication by enabling secure, seamless sharing of verified data among government institutions.

Speaking at a stakeholders’ workshop in Abuja, Kashifu Inuwa, director general of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), said the platform will serve as a unified backbone for identity and data verification.

“With the NGDX, citizens will no longer need to repeatedly submit the same personal data each time they interact with a government agency. Authorised institutions will be able to seamlessly verify and share records on the back end,” he explained.

The reform is expected to cut costs, save time for citizens, and address inefficiencies across the public sector.

It will also benefit businesses—particularly fintechs and service providers—by enabling faster Know Your Customer (KYC) checks and giving them access to government-backed verification systems.

Inua further noted that the NGDX’s value goes beyond convenience. By allowing the use of anonymised public data, it will open new opportunities for innovation in sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, fintech, and education technology.

“The NGDX will open opportunities for startups and enterprises to build solutions leveraging anonymised public data for improved healthcare delivery, agricultural productivity, fintech development, and education technology,” he said.

He described the initiative as “essential digital infrastructure,” placing it on the same scale of importance as Nigeria’s nationwide fibre optic rollout, and emphasised its centrality to the country’s digital economy aspirations.

To ensure successful deployment, NITDA is working in collaboration with the ministry of communications, innovation and digital economy and other key stakeholders.

Backing the initiative, Bosun Tijani, minister of communications, innovation and digital economy, described the NGDX as a critical system for unlocking innovation, deepening collaboration, and extending the reach of Nigeria’s digital economy.

“NGDX will enable secure, seamless data sharing across government and business, unlock innovation, collaboration, and inclusive economic growth, and deliver smarter, faster services to citizens under a framework of privacy, security, and accountability,” he stated, adding that the NGDX is scheduled to go live by the end of 2025.

With a goal to curb malware and financial scams, Google has announced a new policy requiring developer verification for all Android app installations on certified devices – those with preloaded Google Mobile Services (like Samsung, Pixel, and others) — starting in 2026, extending beyond the Google Play Store to include sideloading and third-party app stores in an effort to curb malware and financial scams.

Currently users can install apps on devices running Android in different ways – they can download them from Google Play or other available stores, but also sideload them from APK (Android Package Kit used to distribute and install apps on Android OS) files, bypassing store moderation.

The new “ID check” is going to verify developers’ identities. The rollout begins with verification access in October 2025 for select developers, opens to all in March 2026, and enforcement starts in September 2026 in “high-risk” countries like Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand before going global in 2027.

Google’s new developer verification policy for Android apps is a timely response to an evolving mobile threat landscape.

According to Kaspersky’s report, attacks on Android smartphones in Q1 2025 increased, with the number of detected malware samples reaching 180,000 (up 27% from Q4 2024). Threats were blocked on devices of over 12 million smartphone users (up 36% from Q4 2024). The upward trend in attacked users has continued since Q3 2024. Common threats include phishing apps and stealers disguised as legitimate software.

“A major security issue in this landscape is the ability for users to install unverified apps from outside stores. These direct downloads bypass additional safeguards such as Google Play checks before app publication.

While installing unverified APK files offers flexibility for power users, it essentially turns the device into a potential entry point for attacks, underscoring the need for stricter controls”, comments Tatyana Shishkova, Lead Security Researcher, Global Research and Analysis Team at Kaspersky. “Overall, requiring verification for all app developers who want their apps to run on Google-certified devices is a positive step forward in bolstering Android’s security”, she added.

The new verification policy will apply only to Android devices with preloaded Google Mobile Services and Play Protect; smartphones running de-Googled ROMs, such as those on LineageOS or Android versions without Google Services (like Huawei devices), remain unaffected and can continue to sideload unverified APK files.

Despite Google Play’s security measures, malicious apps still infiltrate the store, with thousands of downloads identified in 2025 alone, often masquerading as legitimate software to steal data or deliver malware.

These threats, including trojans and phishing apps, exploit gaps in app review processes and user trust, underscoring that even official stores aren’t immune to the Android malware surge. Kaspersky found malware on Apple’s AppStore as well. So it’s important for users to be aware of risks when installing apps from any source, and use a trusted mobile protection solution, such as Kaspersky for Android.