The National Human Rights Commission has urged tech companies to adopt stricter online safety measures to protect Nigerian children from digital threats

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has urged technology companies and digital platforms to implement stronger safety measures to protect Nigerian children from growing online threats such as cyberbullying, grooming, sextortion, and exposure to harmful content.

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The Executive Secretary, Tony Ojukwu, made the appeal in Abuja during the Child Online Safety Forum held on Monday.

Represented by Ngozi Okere, the Commission’s Director of Women and Child Protection, Ojukwu said that while the internet has created immense opportunities for learning and communication, it has also exposed children to serious risks requiring urgent legal and policy action.

He emphasised that technology firms must adopt age-appropriate content filters, build robust reporting systems for abuse, and ensure user privacy, stressing that protecting children online must take precedence over profit motives.

“We must join hands to ensure that tech providers and digital platforms adopt stricter guidelines and safety features tailored to protect children,” Ojukwu said.

According to him, the National Human Rights Commission has already developed an automated online reporting platform and operates a toll-free line (6472) for victims to anonymously report cyberbullying, grooming, and other online abuses.

The initiative, he explained, forms part of the Commission’s push to make justice more accessible and to advocate for the passage of the Child Online Protection Bill — a proposed law aimed at safeguarding children in Nigeria’s growing digital space.

“Protecting children online is not just a legal imperative — it is a collective moral duty,” Ojukwu added.

“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 at the event, Olumide Osoba, Chairman of the House Committee on Justice, reaffirmed the National Assembly’s commitment to laws compelling digital service providers to prioritise user safety.

Osoba, who sponsored the Child Online Access Protection Bill (HB 244), warned that the unregulated digital space was exposing millions of Nigerian children to exploitation, identity theft, and harmful content.

“The internet must be a place that empowers, not endangers, our children,” he said.

“Our bill will mandate service providers to block access to violent or exploitative content, penalise online grooming and cyberbullying, and promote digital literacy for parents and children.”

The NHRC’s call follows rising concerns over online harm in Nigeria, highlighted in a recent report by Gatefield titled “The Rising Tide of Online Harm in Nigeria.”

The study revealed that 50 per cent of Nigerian internet users experience online abuse regularly, with women — particularly those in politics — disproportionately targeted.

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Experts at the forum agreed that the growing trend underscores the urgent need for stronger regulation, corporate accountability, and digital literacy initiatives to help families navigate the online environment safely.