..As lawmakers, stakeholders push for child online protection law
An estimated 68.9 million Nigerians, 50% of the country's 137.8 million active internet users, regularly face harm online, including cyberbullying and trolling, online impersonation and scams, child sexual exploitation and other forms of digital abuse, according to a new report highlighting growing concerns over online safety in Africa's largest digital market.
The 'State of Online Harms 2025' was presented by Gatefield, a public strategy and advocacy organisation, at the Child Online Safety Forum on Monday in Abuja, organized in collaboration with Paradigm Initiative. It revealed other forms of online abuse faced by users, including gender-based harassment, online sexual abuse misinformation and disinformation, hate speech and incitement, and unwanted pornography.
The report found that X (formerly Twitter), a social media platform, is responsible for 34% of online harm, the highest, while WhatsApp messaging is a breeding ground for disinformation, and Facebook is overwhelmed with harmful content on a significant scale.
It added that 31% of reported harmful content, however, was never removed from online platforms.
The report cites fake news as the number one digital threat and says 58% of online harms target women.
Shirley Evang, Gatefield's advocacy lead, presented the report, highlighting policy and regulatory shortcomings. He said existing laws do not explicitly address digital threats, which suggests some are misused to suppress free speech.
Also Read: Adverse Effects of Cyberbullying on Society and Its Legal Implications in Nigeria
Shirley also noted the lack of accountability for big tech companies, saying platform moderation is ineffective and culturally out of touch.
Therefore, the report recommended that tech companies should set up local content moderation teams. It highlighted the need to deepen digital literacy in Nigeria and tasked the government with a comprehensive online safety bill that addresses specific digital harms without creating tools for the suppression of legitimate speech.
Meanwhile, stakeholders at the forum stressed the importance of children's online safety to protect Nigerian children in digital spaces. Olumide Osoba, Chairman of the Justice Committee and sponsor of the Child Online Access Protection Bill, expressed concern about the increasing risks our children face online, assuring passage of the bill in the shortest possible time.
She said that the Internet, although an extraordinary tool for education, innovation and social engagement, has also become a space where children are exposed to cyberbullying, online grooming, identity theft, exploitation and harmful content that threaten their safety, dignity and mental health.
The lawmaker pointed out that the proposed law orders Internet service providers to restrict access to violent or exploitative content; Penalize individuals and organizations that engage in cyberbullying, grooming, or the dissemination of intimate images of minors, and promote digital literacy and online safety education for parents, teachers, and youth.
Also read: Cyberbullying and online harassment: Do current Nigerian laws provide adequate protection?
He said the proposed law would establish mechanisms for prompt reporting and redressal of online abuse.
“This effort is not just about legislation; it is about building a culture of responsibility online. It calls on every sector of government, private industry, civil society, schools and families to play their part in protecting our children”,
He urged, “The consequences of inaction are too great to be ignored, resulting in trauma, exploitation, loss of innocence and in extreme cases, lives destroyed. Our goal must be to create a digital ecosystem that empowers rather than endangers, that educates rather than exploits.”
The Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission, Tony Ojukwu, represented at the event by the Director, Women and Children, Ngozi Okorie, urged Nigerians to report online abuses and cyber threats through its Automated Online Reporting Platform, accessible through its official website www.nhrc.gov.ng.
He informed that the Commission has dedicated a toll-free line: 6472, where reports related to online child abuse, cyber bullying and grooming can be made anonymously and with confidence.
