90 Per Cent of Nigerian Children Exposed to Cyber Threats — NCC Data

About 90 per cent of Nigerian children have been exposed to at least one form of online threat, according to new data from the Nigerian Communications Commission, raising fresh concerns over child safety in the country’s rapidly expanding digital space.

The figure, presented by child rights advocates and digital safety experts, also shows that more than half of Nigerian children with internet access have directly experienced cyberbullying, grooming, exploitation and other forms of online abuse.

The alarming statistics were discussed at a webinar organised by Gatefield and Cece Yara Child Advocacy Centre ahead of this year’s Children’s Day commemoration.

Stakeholders at the event warned that the scale of exposure reflects growing risks in Nigeria’s online environment, especially as internet access among children continues to rise without corresponding safety safeguards.

They argued that the continued delay in passing the Child Online Protection Bill (HB244) currently before the Senate is worsening the situation and leaving millions of minors vulnerable to predators and harmful digital content.

The bill, which scaled through the House of Representatives in December 2025, is still awaiting Senate consideration.

Experts at the webinar said Nigeria’s digital ecosystem has expanded faster than regulatory protections, creating loopholes that expose children to harassment, manipulation and sexual exploitation.

They further warned that the effects of repeated exposure to harmful content are already manifesting in what they described as “digital trauma,” with long-term consequences for children’s mental health, emotional development and academic performance.

According to additional insights shared at the forum, harmful content often remains online long enough to spread widely before intervention occurs, while as much as 31 per cent of reported child exploitation materials are never removed from digital platforms.

The stakeholders described the situation as a regulatory gap that requires urgent legislative and technological intervention, especially from global tech companies operating in Nigeria.

They called on the Senate to expedite passage of HB244, saying the proposed law would introduce enforceable obligations on digital platforms, including mandatory content removal timelines and child safety-by-design standards.

Other recommendations include a 24-hour takedown requirement for child sexual abuse and grooming content, stronger age verification systems, establishment of local moderation teams and nationwide digital literacy campaigns focused on online safety.

Advocacy Lead at Gatefield, Shirley Ewang, said the country can no longer afford delays in addressing the crisis.

“With millions more children entering digital spaces every year, every second counts. Delays in addressing online harm can have lasting consequences for children, and Nigeria cannot afford to ignore that,” she said.

She added that celebrating Children’s Day without addressing online risks amounts to ignoring a growing national crisis.

“We cannot celebrate Children’s Day while ignoring the reality that children are being actively exposed and insufficiently protected online, as global platforms continue to operate with little to no consequence in our market,” she said.

Also speaking, Chief Operating Officer of Cece Yara Child Advocacy Centre, Esther Udoh, described the bill as critical to establishing clear legal safeguards for children in the digital environment.

She said the rapid evolution of technology demands urgent government action to protect vulnerable users from irreversible harm.

According to her, every child deserves a safe online space to learn, interact and grow without fear of exploitation or abuse.

The stakeholders urged lawmakers to treat the bill as a priority, warning that continued delay would deepen risks for millions of Nigerian children already active online.