The Federal Government has launched a public consultation on child online safety, seeking views on possible age restrictions for social media use and other measures to better protect children in Nigeria’s digital space.
The consultation, announced by the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, is gathering input from parents, educators, young people and digital professionals as Nigeria considers policy options such as age restrictions, stronger age-verification systems, platform accountability measures and enhanced regulatory oversight.
Communications Minister Bosun Tijani, in a LinkedIn Post urging participation in the survey, said the push is aimed at balancing the benefits of internet access with stronger protections for minors. He said: “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.”
He added: “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 and respects children’s rights.
The move places Nigeria within a broader global debate over how to protect minors online without cutting them off from the educational and social benefits of the internet. Recent reports noted that countries including Australia, France, Denmark and Indonesia have either adopted or proposed stricter rules on children’s access to social media platforms.
Reactions to the consultation have reflected both support and caution. Comments on Tijani’s LinkedIn post backed stronger child protection measures, but some respondents also argued that policy choices must reflect Nigeria’s realities, including digital inequality, limited access and the need for parental guidance and digital literacy. Others urged collaboration with lawmakers and called for platforms, not only parents, to bear more responsibility for online safety.
The consultation signals that the government is still in an exploratory phase, with authorities seeking evidence and public feedback before settling on a final regulatory framework.
