AVOCATS Sans Frontières France (ASF France), civil society groups, digital experts, and human rights advocates have called for a rights-based policy framework and a revision of outdated laws to reflect current realities and global human rights standards.
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They also called for the urgent passage of the Digital Rights and Freedom Bill to provide a stronger legal foundation for digital rights protection and agreed on fresh strategies to strengthen the protection of digital rights in Nigeria.
 
The call was made in a nine-point communiqué released after a high-level Situation Room Dialogue on digital rights held in Abuja. The forum was organised under the e-RIGHTS project led by ASF France (Lawyers Without Borders France) and co-funded by the European Union and the UNESCO Global Media Defence Fund.
 
It provided a platform for discussions on the challenges and opportunities in Nigeria’s digital space, with participants exploring issues such as artificial intelligence, data privacy, online safety, digital inclusion and legal reform.

Participants at the forum agreed that digital literacy should be integrated into school curricula at all levels to build early awareness and responsible digital citizenship.
 
Another priority was the need to raise public awareness of existing digital rights laws and frameworks. They further called for investment in home-grown digital platforms rooted in Nigeria’s values and legal frameworks, as well as stronger mechanisms for the timely enforcement of court rulings. Other recommendations include the implementation of targeted campaigns and training to enhance awareness of digital rights, particularly among young people and marginalised groups.
 
The establishment of digital rights academies by both the public and private sectors was also recommended to promote ongoing education on online safety, privacy and human rights.