The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has reiterated its commitment to promoting open-source technologies and decentralised social media platforms, including Mastodon, as part of efforts to safeguard digital rights in Nigeria.
The announcement was made on Thursday during a one-day sensitisation session on the Fediverse, a decentralised and privacy-focused social networking system, organised at the Mai Deribe Lecture Theatre of Khalifa Isyaku Rabiu University, Kano.
Speaking at the event, Yusuf Babagana of CITAD’s Technical and Innovation Unit highlighted the need to protect digital freedom amid the growing dominance of major technology companies.
“In today’s digital era, a few big tech companies control much of the online space.
“Platforms like Facebook, X and Instagram determine what people see and sometimes limit how they express themselves.
“Many users have experienced being blocked or censored for sharing their views. This raises concerns about who controls our digital conversations and data,” Babangana said.
He added that decentralised platforms like the Fediverse provide alternatives that allow users to communicate without algorithmic manipulation or centralised content restrictions.
Also addressing the audience, Mubarak Shehu Dayyab of CITAD discussed the structural challenges of mainstream social media, including excessive data collection, algorithm-driven feeds, advertisement-funded models, and centralised control.
Dayyab cautioned that online users face risks such as identity theft, phishing, scams, reputational damage, and cyberbullying.
He advised, “To stay safe online, users should enable two-factor authentication, use password managers, verify links before clicking, and limit the amount of personal information they make public.”
He further noted that decentralised platforms such as Mastodon, operating within the Fediverse, offer users greater transparency and control over their data.
The sensitisation, CITAD said, is part of its ongoing efforts to promote open-source solutions and advance the adoption of Mastodon and other Fediverse platforms across Nigeria.
