07/08/2026
Can a Nigerian Court Order X (formerly Twitter) to Reveal the Identity of an Anonymous User?
As more aspects of our personal and professional lives move online, disputes arising from social media are increasingly finding their way into Nigerian courts.
A recent decision of the High Court of Lagos State provides useful guidance on the constitutional right to privacy, data protection and the accountability of digital platforms.
In Esther Agboola v. X Corp & Unknown Person, the Applicant alleged that an anonymous user altered the timestamp on one of her birthday posts before republishing it on X (formerly Twitter).
According to the Applicant, the altered post falsely suggested that she had misrepresented her age, exposing her to public ridicule, cyberbullying, harassment, reputational harm and emotional distress.
Because the identity of the anonymous account holder was unknown, the Applicant instituted an action against both X Corp and the unidentified user.
Among other reliefs, she asked the Court to declare that her constitutional and data protection rights had been violated and to compel X Corp to disclose information capable of identifying the anonymous account holder.
Neither Respondent defended the proceedings, and the Court determined the matter based on the Applicant’s unchallenged evidence.
The Court’s Decision
The Court found in favour of the Applicant.
Among other orders, it held that the unauthorised alteration and republication of the Applicant’s personal information violated her constitutional right to privacy under Section 37 of the Constitution.
The Court also held that the conduct amounted to unlawful processing of personal data under the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023, particularly because the Applicant’s personal information had been altered in a misleading manner.
Importantly, the Court ordered X Corp to disclose information capable of identifying the anonymous account holder.
It also awarded ₦20 million in general damages against the anonymous user and made a conditional award of ₦50 million against X Corp should it fail to comply with the disclosure order.
Compliance Insight
This judgment reminds us that what happens online can have real legal consequences.
It also demonstrates that anonymity on a digital platform does not necessarily prevent a court from ordering disclosure where it is necessary to protect and enforce legal rights.
As disputes involving social media, digital platforms and personal information continue to grow, businesses and individuals alike should understand that constitutional rights and data protection obligations apply in the digital space just as they do offline.
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