- The Federal Government has launched a public consultation to gather Nigerians’ views on measures to protect children online
- The consultation includes proposals such as introducing age restrictions for social media users
- The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, warned that while the internet provides opportunities for learning and creativity, it also exposes children to risks like cyberbullying and harmful content, among others
The Federal Government has launched a public consultation to gather Nigerians’ views on measures to protect children online.
The consultation includes proposals such as introducing age restrictions for social media users.
Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, announced the initiative via his official X account.
The minister warned that while the internet provides opportunities for learning and creativity, it also exposes children to risks like cyberbullying, harmful content, and online exploitation.
The Federal Government has opened a public consultation to gather opinions from Nigerians on measures aimed at improving children’s safety online, including the possible introduction of age restrictions for social media platforms.
The initiative was announced on Tuesday, March 10, by the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, through a post on his official X account.
He noted that while the internet provides numerous opportunities for young people, it also exposes them to several risks.
“While the internet offers significant opportunities for learning, creativity, and communication, it also exposes children to risks such as cyberbullying, harmful content, online exploitation, misuse of personal data, and emerging challenges linked to artificial intelligence tools,” Dr Tijani wrote.
According to the minister, the government is considering different policy options to strengthen the protection of children in the digital space and wants the public to contribute to shaping the final framework.
“As Nigeria evaluates potential policy approaches for protection of children online, including age restrictions, improved age verification systems, platform accountability measures, and enhanced regulatory oversight, public input is essential to ensure that any framework adopted reflects national priorities, respects children’s rights, and responds to the realities of Nigeria’s digital landscape,” he added.
Tijani also shared a link to the survey, inviting Nigerians to submit their views and suggestions: https://t.co/qsW3h72M9U.
The move reflects a growing global push to regulate children’s access to social media. For instance, Australia has already introduced an outright ban on social media use for individuals under the age of 16.
The minister encouraged parents, educators, young people, digital experts, and other stakeholders to participate in the consultation process, stressing that their feedback would help guide the development of evidence-based policies aimed at creating safer online environments for children in Nigeria.