NHRC to Tech Companies: Strengthen Online Safety to Protect Nigerian Children from Cyberbullying, Grooming, and Sextortion

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has urged technology companies and digital platform operators to enforce stricter online safety standards to protect Nigerian children from increasing digital threats such as cyberbullying, grooming, sextortion, and harmful content exposure.

The Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Tony Ojukwu, made the appeal in Abuja during the Child Online Safety Forum held on Monday. He was represented by the Director of Women and Child Protection, Ngozi Okere.

Ojukwu acknowledged that the internet has opened vast opportunities for learning, creativity, and communication but warned that it has also created new risks for children—risks that demand coordinated policy, legal, and community-based responses.

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He called for joint action to ensure that technology providers implement child-centered safety guidelines, including age-appropriate content filters, robust abuse-reporting systems, and stronger privacy protections.

According to him, tech companies carry a moral and social obligation to design safer digital spaces instead of prioritizing profit over protection. He emphasized the need for platforms to move beyond profit-driven algorithms and focus on creating inclusive, responsive environments that safeguard young users.

The NHRC, he revealed, has already taken steps to improve accountability and reporting through the creation of an automated online reporting portal on its website and a toll-free line (6472) that allows victims or witnesses to anonymously report cases of cyberbullying, grooming, and online exploitation.

Ojukwu explained that these measures are part of a broader national strategy to expand access to justice for victims of online abuse and to support advocacy for the Child Online Protection Bill, which seeks to establish a clear legal framework for child safety in Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.

“Protecting children online is not just a legal imperative but a moral duty. Through stronger laws, increased awareness, and real accountability from tech companies, we can build a digital space that empowers rather than endangers our children,” Ojukwu stated.

Also speaking at the event, Olumide Osoba, Chairman of the House Committee on Justice, reaffirmed the National Assembly’s commitment to passing laws that compel digital service providers to take greater responsibility for user safety.

Osoba, who sponsored the Child Online Access Protection Bill (HB 244), cautioned that Nigeria’s unregulated digital landscape leaves millions of children exposed to exploitation, identity theft, and harmful content.

“The internet must be a place that empowers, not endangers, our children. Our bill will require internet service providers to block access to violent or exploitative material, criminalize online grooming and cyberbullying, and promote digital literacy among parents and youths,” Osoba said.

The NHRC’s call comes amid rising concerns over escalating online harm in Nigeria. A recent Gatefield report, ‘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 disproportionately targeted.

Experts at the forum stressed that these worrying trends underscore the need for stricter digital regulation, enhanced corporate accountability, and nationwide digital literacy initiatives to help families navigate online spaces more safely.

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