Oslo, Norway – The Chairman of the Nigerian Senate Committee on ICT and Cybersecurity, Senator Shuaib Afolabi Salisu, has called on lawmakers from the United States to actively participate in the United Nations Internet Governance Forum (IGF) to foster global cooperation on digital policy enforcement.
Speaking at the ongoing IGF in Norway, Senator Salisu stressed the need for U.S. congressional presence at future forums to help address the persistent challenge of enforcing national laws on U.S.-based social media platforms.
According to Senator Salisu, who also chairs the West African Parliamentarians Network on Internet Governance, lawmakers from across the Global South repeatedly expressed similar frustrations over the inability to compel U.S.-headquartered tech giants to comply with local regulations, particularly in tackling issues such as misinformation and disinformation.
“If we had at least one U.S. Senator at this Forum,” Salisu stated, “they could shed light on how U.S. legislators get these companies to respect American laws, insight that could help others achieve the same in their jurisdictions.”
To enhance global legislative collaboration, Senator Salisu proposed the creation of a dedicated platform or digital portal to facilitate engagement between parliamentarians worldwide on internet governance matters.
“Such a platform would enable lawmakers to share resources, conduct peer reviews, and stay informed about legislative innovations in other countries,” Salisu said. “It would be an invaluable tool for fostering collaborative approaches to internet governance and digital regulation.”
Senator Salisu’s remarks come at a time when the global community continues to grapple with the balance between digital freedom and regulatory control, particularly in emerging economies where foreign governments’ digital platforms wield significant influence.
