Gatefield, Parents Advocate Stronger Measures to Shield Children From Digital Threats

Parents and child protection advocates have called for urgent measures to strengthen online safety for Nigerian children, warning that millions of minors remain exposed to exploitation, harmful content and other digital risks.

The call was made during a roundtable discussion organised by Gatefield, where the stakeholders expressed concern about weak protection systems and limited accountability for technology companies operating in Nigeria.

Gatefield campaign lead, Christina Akintoye, said Nigeria, despite having Africa’s largest internet population, still lacks adequate safeguards to protect children who spend increasing amounts of time on digital platforms.

Citing data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Akintoye said many Nigerian children have encountered sexual content online, while a significant number have experienced unwanted sexual approaches on digital platforms. She added that in some cases, harmful content involving minors remained online for more than 48 hours before removal.

According to Gatefield, the situation reflects broader challenges in the digital ecosystem, where many platforms prioritise user engagement and growth over child protection.

The organisation argued that several global technology companies operating in Nigeria have not invested sufficiently in trust and safety measures. At the same time, accountability remains limited due to automated moderation systems and platform operations managed from foreign headquarters.

“If this were happening in a physical playground, grown men filming children, luring them or trailing them, no one would wait for a meeting to debate the appropriate response. The response would be immediate,” Gatefield said.

The organisation noted that while children are spending more time online, responses to digital threats have not matched the urgency applied to similar dangers in physical environments.

Gatefield said the increasing focus on child online safety provides an opportunity for Nigeria to strengthen its regulatory framework and ensure that children’s rights are protected both online and offline.

It referenced international examples, including the United Kingdom’s Online Safety Act and Australia’s mandatory child protection standards, as evidence that governments can regulate digital platforms while maintaining a functional technology sector.

The organisation said its Every Second Counts campaign was designed to keep child online safety at the centre of public discussions and encourage collective action from policymakers, parents, civil society organisations and the media.

“Every second a child spends unprotected online is a second that cannot be recovered,” Gatefield said.

Other participants at the roundtable also stressed the importance of awareness, education and stronger institutional responses to protect children in digital spaces.

Emmanuella Iyayi, Lead at Chazown By Ella’s Bookclub, highlighted the need to equip children with the knowledge and skills required to navigate online platforms safely and responsibly.

Medical Doctor Joy Nafesa Kabir emphasised the emotional and psychological effects of online harm on children, urging stakeholders to pay greater attention to the health implications of unsafe digital experiences.

Onyinyechi Amy, an advocate and Legal and Programme Officer at the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), called for stronger legal frameworks, enforcement mechanisms and institutional measures to tackle online abuse and exploitation of children.

The advocates urged government agencies, technology companies, parents, and civil society organisations to work together to develop policies and systems that enable Nigerian children to enjoy the benefits of digital technology in a safer environment.