National Online Safety Coalition, Hon Olumide Osoba, Chair of the House Committee on Justice, reaffirmed the National Assembly’s commitment to support the Child Online Access Protection Bill (HB 224) a proposed law aimed at safeguarding Nigerian children from harmful content and digital threats online.
The advocacy meeting, led by Coalition representatives from Gatefield, CITAD, and Digicivic, served as a platform to strengthen collaboration around the bill.
Speaking Hon. Osoba reiterated his readiness to work closely with stakeholders to expedite its passage. “My committee is ready to support and work very closely with the Coalition and other stakeholders to ensure the passage of the bill is accelerated,” he stated.
Drawing from the coalition’s policy recommendations, Shirley Ewang, Advocacy Lead at Gatefield, emphasised the dangers of Nigeria’s unregulated digital landscape, which continues to expose minors to exploitation, grooming, and harmful content.
She noted that cases of online abuse are recorded at least five times a week, underscoring the urgent need for stronger legal protections.
Ewang highlighted that the timely passage of the bill, which, among other provisions, promotes platform accountability, timely takedown of harmful content, and enforcement mechanisms, would be crucial in protecting Nigerian children and ensuring accountability among perpetrators and digital platforms as online threats evolve rapidly.
Nigeria’s digital threat landscape is expanding, with children among the most vulnerable groups. Research by the Coalition indicates that over 50% of Nigerian children have experienced some form of online harm.
70% of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) in Nigeria is hosted on social media and encrypted platforms, with 80% of reported content remaining online beyond 48 hours. Despite these alarming figures, enforcement, prosecution, and platform accountability remain weak.
He underscored the urgent need for a comprehensive legal framework to address these gaps.
In response to these growing risks, the Coalition previously launched the #SaferInternetforNaijaKids campaign to raise awareness and advocate for the passage of the Child Online Access Protection Bill. The campaign garnered over 2,000 petition signatures, urging a stronger national commitment to child online safety.
This includes establishing a framework requiring Big Tech platforms to improve content moderation and promptly remove harmful material.
Integrating online safety education into the national school curriculum;
And ensuring the comprehensive passage and implementation of the Child Online Access Protection Bill.
With more than 30 million Nigerian children online, the risks of exploitation, abuse, and recruitment by malicious actors are growing at an alarming rate. Yet, only 1 in 10 cases of online child abuse leads to prosecution leaving millions of children even more vulnerable.
This highlights the urgent need for a legislative framework that not only prioritises prevention and protection, but also enforces prosecution and compliance among digital platforms and offenders.
“If enacted and effectively implemented, the Child Online Access Protection Bill will not only protect the Nigerian child from online threats, but also secure the future of our nation by building a safer, more responsible digital environment,” the Coalition stated.
