Cynthia Ezegwu
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has urged technology companies and digital platform operators to adopt stricter online safety measures to protect Nigerian children from increasing risks such as cyberbullying, grooming, sextortion, and exposure to harmful content.
The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Tony Ojukwu, made the call on Monday in Abuja during the Child Online Safety Forum. He was represented by the Director of Women and Child Protection, Ngozi Okere.
Ojukwu noted that while the internet has opened up vast opportunities for learning, communication, and innovation, it has also exposed children to serious dangers that demand urgent policy and community intervention.
“We must join hands to ensure that tech providers and digital platforms adopt stricter guidelines and safety features tailored to protect children. This includes implementing age-appropriate content filters, strong reporting mechanisms for abuse, and ensuring user privacy,” he said.
He stressed that technology companies have a moral and social responsibility to prioritise child safety over profit, adding that digital platforms must move beyond profit-driven algorithms to create safe and inclusive online environments.
The NHRC boss disclosed that the Commission has already taken steps to strengthen accountability through the creation of an automated online reporting system and a toll-free line, 6472, where cases of cyberbullying, grooming, and other forms of online exploitation can be reported anonymously.
According to him, the initiative forms part of the Commission’s broader strategy to make justice more accessible to victims of online abuse and to support advocacy for the proposed Child Online Protection Bill, which seeks to establish legal safeguards for children in Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.
“Protecting children online is not just a legal imperative — it is a collective moral duty,” Ojukwu said. “Through stronger legislation, better awareness, and accountability from tech companies, we can build a digital space that empowers rather than endangers our children.”
Also speaking, Chairman of the House Committee on Justice, Olumide Osoba, reaffirmed the National Assembly’s commitment to enacting laws that compel digital service providers to take greater responsibility for user safety.
READ ALSO: No Evidence of Forced Abortions by Nigerian Military — NHRC Panel
Osoba, who sponsored the Child Online Access Protection Bill (HB 244), warned that the lack of regulation in Nigeria’s digital space leaves millions of children vulnerable to exploitation, identity theft, and exposure to harmful content.
“The internet must be a place that empowers, not endangers, our children,” he said. “Our bill seeks to mandate internet service providers to block access to violent or exploitative content, penalise online grooming and cyberbullying, and promote digital literacy for parents and young people.”
The call comes amid rising cases of online harm in Nigeria. A recent report by Gatefield, titled “The Rising Tide of Online Harm in Nigeria,” revealed that half of Nigerian internet users experience online abuse regularly, with women — especially those in politics — being the most targeted.
Experts at the event emphasised the need for stronger regulation, increased accountability from tech companies, and nationwide digital literacy campaigns to help parents and children navigate the internet safely.