The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has called on tech giants and digital platform operators to tighten online safety standards and shield Nigerian children from mounting threats such as cyberbullying, grooming, sextortion, and exposure to harmful content.
Speaking at the Child Online Safety Forum in Abuja on Monday, NHRC Executive Secretary Tony Ojukwu — represented by Ngozi Okere, Director of Women and Child Protection — stressed that while the internet offers vast opportunities for learning and innovation, it also exposes children to grave risks that demand urgent collective action.
“We must ensure that tech providers adopt stronger guidelines and child-focused safety tools,” Ojukwu urged. “This includes enforcing age-appropriate content filters, establishing effective reporting systems for abuse, and safeguarding user privacy.”
He emphasised that technology companies have both a moral and social responsibility to put child safety ahead of profit, urging them to move beyond profit-driven algorithms to create safer, more inclusive online spaces.
Ojukwu revealed that the NHRC has already introduced an automated online reporting system and a toll-free hotline (6472) for anonymous reports of cyberbullying, grooming, and other online abuses. The initiative is part of a broader effort to make justice more accessible to victims and support the proposed Child Online Protection Bill, which seeks to legally safeguard children in Nigeria’s digital environment.
“Protecting children online is not just a legal duty — it’s a collective moral obligation,” Ojukwu declared. “Stronger laws, greater awareness, and real accountability from tech companies can help us build a digital world that empowers rather than endangers our children.”
Lawmakers Push for Stronger Regulation
Also speaking, Olumide Osoba, Chairman of the House Committee on Justice, reaffirmed the National Assembly’s commitment to laws that compel digital service providers to prioritise user safety.
Osoba, sponsor of the Child Online Access Protection Bill (HB 244), warned that the lack of regulation leaves millions of Nigerian children exposed to exploitation, identity theft, and violent content.
“The internet should empower, not endanger,” he said. “Our bill will compel internet providers to block harmful content, criminalise online grooming and cyberbullying, and promote digital literacy among parents and children.”
Data Paints a Grim Picture
The urgency of the call was underscored by alarming findings from Gatefield’s “State of Online Harms 2025” Report, presented at the same event.
According to the report, 68.9 million Nigerians have faced online harm — including gender-based harassment, sexual abuse, and cyberbullying — amid soaring internet usage that now exceeds 137.8 million users nationwide.
“With rising internet adoption comes an explosion in digital dangers,” said Shirley Ewang, Gatefield’s Advocacy Lead. “This is no longer a side issue — it’s a national crisis.”
Key findings from the report include:
- 50% of Nigerian internet users experience online abuse regularly.
- 58% of victims are women — particularly those in politics, journalism, and public life.
- X (formerly Twitter) accounts for 34% of all reported online harms, followed by Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram.
- 99% of online harms are linked to fake news, while 95% involve misinformation — especially during elections.
- 90% of children have faced at least one cyber risk, and 97% have reported sexual exploitation online.
Ewang warned that deepfakes and violent imagery are being weaponised to spread false narratives, eroding public trust in tech platforms.
“One in three Nigerians no longer trusts social media to keep them safe,” she noted. “While 86% of citizens support regulation, they insist it must protect—not silence—free expression.”
A Call to Action
To confront this digital emergency, Gatefield, in partnership with Paradigm Initiative and the National Online Safety Coalition, proposed three urgent steps:
1. Launch nationwide digital literacy campaigns targeting women and children.
2. Hold big tech companies accountable through localised content moderation systems.
3. Update Nigeria’s cyber laws to tackle emerging threats such as AI-driven deepfakes.
Ewang concluded with a stark warning:
“Online safety is not optional — it’s an urgent national priority. Every time a Nigerian child logs on, they face a real threat. The time to act is now.”
