Health experts and child rights advocates have called on Nigeria’s National Assembly to fast-track legislation protecting children from online abuse, describing the issue as a growing public health emergency.
Speaking at an Abuja roundtable organised by Gatefield and partners, MAMA Centre’s Dr Chioma Kanu said children’s rapid brain development between ages zero and seven makes them especially vulnerable to harmful digital content. Gatefield’s Christina Akintoye cited Nigerian Communications Commission data showing many Nigerian children have encountered unwanted sexual content online, warning that harmful material involving minors has stayed online for over 48 hours before removal. Akintoye said: “We should treat child online abuse with the same seriousness as previous public health emergencies because it affects children’s mental health and long-term well-being.”
Speakers urged the Senate to pass the pending Child Online Protection Bill, which cleared the House of Representatives in December 2025, arguing it would strengthen accountability for technology platforms and improve response times to harmful content.
Advocates, including the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre’s Amy Omara and the Federal Medical Centre’s Dr Nafisa Kabir, called for a coordinated response involving government, schools, parents and tech companies, alongside stronger digital literacy education for children before they access internet-enabled devices.
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