FCT Aide Proposes Mandatory NIN and Photo ID for All Social Media Accounts
FCT Aide Proposes Mandatory NIN and Photo ID for All Social Media Accounts
Lere Olayinka, the Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, has urged Nigeria’s government to tighten controls on who can open and run social media accounts. In a post on his X (formerly Twitter) account, he proposed that anyone wishing to register or manage an account must supply both their National Identification Number (NIN) and a valid photo ID—such as an international passport, voter’s card, or driver’s license.
Olayinka argues that linking real identities to online profiles would help curb the spread of false information and hold people more accountable for what they post. Nigeria already requires NIN verification for phone lines and bank services, so extending the rule to social media would build on existing systems rather than create something entirely new.
By insisting on official IDs, the government could make it much harder for bots and bogus accounts to operate anonymously, he says. In countries like Nigeria, where identity verification is already entrenched in everyday transactions, applying the same standard to social media could foster a safer, more responsible digital space.
