The Federal Government says Google, LinkedIn and TikTok collectively deleted more than 28 million Nigerian accounts in 2024 as part of an expanded crackdown on online fraud, impersonation and malicious content. The mass enforcement was driven through a strengthened partnership between the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and major global tech platforms.
The announcement was made by NITDA Director General, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, during the National Symposium on Digital Innovation in Crisis Communication at the National Defence College, Abuja.
Millions of Accounts and Nearly 59 Million Posts Removed
Abdullahi explained that the actions taken by these platforms aim to tackle digital fraud and enhance crisis-response systems across the country.
Breakdown of account removals includes:
- Google: 9.68 million accounts linked to scams, impersonation and harmful behaviour
- LinkedIn: Close to 16 million fraudulent or policy-violating accounts
- TikTok: Millions of accounts flagged under its enforcement and moderation rules
Across all platforms, 58.9 million pieces of harmful or abusive content were taken down. After user appeals and further review, about 420,000 posts were restored.
High LinkedIn Fraud Cases Raise Concerns
The NITDA DG expressed surprise over LinkedIn’s high number of fraudulent accounts, noting that the platform is widely seen as a professional networking site.
“This is shocking because LinkedIn is supposed to be a professional platform. Yet it is being used for impersonation and social engineering to defraud organisations and individuals,” he said.
He noted that Nigeria and tech companies have an agreed procedure for takedowns and reinstatements to prevent political interference or abuse of enforcement powers.
Strengthened Big Tech Cooperation and Digital Safety Regulation
Abdullahi added that improved collaboration with technology companies has helped reinforce Nigeria’s digital safety framework, including the evolution of the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) and the establishment of the Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC).
According to the latest digital safety compliance report:
- Over 13 million social media accounts were deleted in 2024
- 754,629 complaints were submitted by Nigerian users
- 58,909,122 harmful content items were removed
- 420,439 posts were restored following investigations
The Urgent Need for Stronger Digital Safety Systems
The NITDA DG highlighted that misinformation travels almost six times faster than verified information, fueling fraud, confusion and economic loss. He referenced recent cases where misleading content triggered significant financial damage, reinforcing the need for faster verification, improved crisis-communication tools and stronger nationwide digital safety mechanisms.
NITDA’s 2023 compliance report had already shown the scale of the problem, with 65.8 million harmful content items removed and over 4.1 million complaints from Nigerian users.
