In a move to strengthen online safety for children in Nigeria, the Federal Government has begun consultations to introduce age restrictions on social media use.

As part of the plan, the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy has launched a public poll seeking input from parents, educators, young people and digital experts on how best to regulate children’s access to social media and other digital platforms.

The initiative, according to the ministry, is aimed at developing a balanced and evidence-based policy framework that protects children from online risks while preserving the educational and social benefits of Internet access.

The ministry, which announced this yesterday, noted that while the Internet provides valuable opportunities for learning, creativity and communication, it also exposes children to a range of risks.

This is coming amid a rise in telephone users and hours spent on the Internet. A spike in Internet usage is driven largely by increased smartphone adoption and expanding mobile broadband networks.

Last year, the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) said over 40 million Nigerians spend an average of six hours daily on social media.

According to the NDPC, people must understand the importance of data privacy and the risks of sharing personal information on social media platforms.

Meanwhile, the January 2026 subscription data released yesterday showed that telecom operators activated and reactivated about 2.58 million new Subscriber Identity Modules (SIM) cards, which subsequently increased active telephone users from 179.6 million as of the end of last year to 182 million in January 2026.

The data showed that Internet users on the narrowband network increased to 151.5 million, while broadband penetration climbed to 53 per cent, with 115 million users in Nigeria, largely enterprises.

On the planned social media age restrictions, the ministry added that these risks include cyberbullying, harmful content, online grooming, misuse of personal data, addictive platform features and emerging threats linked to artificial intelligence tools.

“As Nigeria evaluates possible policy options, it is important that any approach reflects national priorities, respects children’s rights, and responds effectively to the realities of the country’s digital landscape,” the ministry stated.

Commenting on the survey via a post on his X handle, the ComTech Minister, Dr Bosun Tijani, said the government is working to ensure that children are better protected as Internet adoption continues to expand.

“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,” Tijani said.

According to him, public participation is essential in shaping policies that balance digital access with adequate safeguards for minors.

“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,” he said.

The successful implementation of the plan will see Nigeria join countries including Denmark, France, Australia, among others, which have touched on activities around child safety on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, among others.

The NCC data showed that there was a slight drop in data consumption for the month under review. It dropped from 1.386 million terabytes in December 2025 to 1.385 million a month after.

In terms of network deployment, 4G dominated with 53.41 per cent; 2G, 36.97 per cent; 3G, 5.97 per cent, while 5G had 3.94 per cent.

NCC claimed that MTN remained the largest player in the country with 94 million users and a 51.78 per cent country spread.
Airtel was second with 34 per cent penetration and 62 million users, while Globacom was third with 22.5 million subscribers and 12.3 per cent reach. T2, formerly 9mobile, maintained a 1.79 per cent spread and 3.25 million users in the country.

In a related development, TikTok has announced an additional $200,000 investment in advertising credits to support artificial intelligence media literacy initiatives across Sub-Saharan Africa.

The announcement was made on Tuesday in Nairobi, Kenya, during the third yearly sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) Safer Internet Summit, the Head of Government Relations and Public Policy for SSA at TikTok, Tokunbo Ibrahim, said.

The initiative aims to support local organisations working to expand public understanding of artificial intelligence and strengthen media literacy across the region as AI tools become more widely used.

Ibrahim said the additional investment reflects TikTok’s commitment to educating its online community on how to responsibly interact with artificial intelligence technologies.