Abuja, Oct. 27, 2025 (NAN) Stakeholders have called for proactive measures to protect children online.
Citing new evidence that nearly nine in 10 children are exposed to cyber-risks without adequate legal protection or reporting mechanisms, they called on authorities to take swift and decisive action to protect children.
They spoke on Monday in Abuja at the National Forum on Online Safety for Children event, organised by Gatefield, a media and public health strategy group.
Rep. Olumide Osoba, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Justice, said the internet had become a gateway to cyberbullying, grooming, identity theft and dissemination of harmful content that threatened children’s safety and mental well-being.
Osoba, who sponsored a Child Online Access Protection Bill (HB 244), said that the forum was coming at a critical time.
He said the bill, which he sponsored, seeks to establish stricter safeguards for minors on digital platforms.
“We must create a digital ecosystem that empowers rather than endangers.
“The proposed legislation mandates internet service providers to restrict access to violent or exploitative content, penalise cyberbullying and grooming, and promote digital literacy for parents, teachers and young people,” he stated.
He explained that the bill progressed through the first and second readings in the House of Representatives, but was temporarily paused to align proposed penalties and levies with the newly passed tax legislation.
The member assured stakeholders that the bill would be accelerated when legislative processes resumed.
“Protecting children online is a shared moral and social responsibility. For every child we fail to protect, a digital predator succeeds,” Osoba said.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Dr Tony Ojukwu (SAN), said accountability must be at the centre of Nigeria’s response to digital child protection.
Represented by the NHRC Director of Women and Children, Mrs Ngozi Okore, Ojukwu urged government agencies, technology platforms and telecommunication providers to adopt clear mechanisms for reporting and addressing violations.
“We cannot simply raise alarms without enforcing responsibility.
“The safety of our children online must be upheld and delivered. Rights mean nothing if accountability is absent,” she said.
He urged telecommmunication operators to improve user reporting systems and support national efforts to monitor and respond to online exploitation cases.
Ojukwu reaffirmed the commitment of regulators to work with lawmakers and civil society to strengthen national policies on digital child protection.
An Advocacy Lead at Gatefield, Ms Shirley Ewang, presented the 2024 State of Online Harms Report.
She said that the report showed that 90 per cent of children between the ages of 10 and 17 in Nigeria had experienced or been exposed to at least one form of online harm.
Ewang said that many parents remained unaware of the risks or were unable to use safety controls and reporting tools.
She said the study recorded rising incidences of image-based abuse, financial scams targeting minors, and persistent exposure to pornography and violent content.
She called for stronger regulation of digital platforms, investment in digital literacy, and nationwide safe-use campaigns.
“Our data show online harms are happening faster than the systems designed to protect children,” Ewang said.
She explained that Gatefield’s research identified cyberbullying, image-based abuse, exposure to pornography, and financial scams as top threats affecting minors.
“Our digital spaces should be catalysts for education and civic participation, not breeding grounds for harm. The future of Nigeria’s youth must not be traded for profit or convenience,” she added.
Ewang said Gatefield, through the National Online Safety Coalition, was engaging policymakers and technology platforms to push for stronger reporting systems.
“Also, safer product design, and digital literacy programmes for young people, educators, and parents,” the lead said.
Also speaking, a Senior Programmes Officer at Paradigm Initiative, Ms Khadijah El-Usman, highlighted the need for coordinated action between government, civil society and technology companies.
El-Usman said that expanding access to trusted, child-friendly reporting channels and school-based safety training, would empower young users to navigate the internet securely.
“This is not just a safety issue. It is a rights issue. Every child deserves to experience the internet without fear, manipulation or exploitation,” she said.
The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that the Forum was convened by Gatefield, Paradigm Initiative and the National Online Safety Coalition, as part of Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to build a safer, more inclusive digital environment.
Stakeholders agreed that urgent action is needed to close legislative and enforcement gaps and ensure children maximise digital opportunities without being exposed to preventable harm. (NAN)
