This paper analyzes the challenges of regulating social media in Nigeria and its implications on freedom of expression. The objectives of this paper are to ascertain the need for the regulation of social media and examine the challenges in the regulation of social media and its implications on freedom of expression. Based on the objectives of this paper, two research questions were formulated to serve as a guide for this paper. This paper is anchored on the authoritarian theory. Findings show that the nature of the Internet is one of the biggest obstacles to social media regulation as the internet has no geographical bounds, which presents enormous difficulties for authorities. This paper also reveals that social media regulation will put the right to free speech in jeopardy as the regulation has been decried as abhorrent because they restrict the right to free speech.
Vol. 1, No 1, pp. 8-14.