Ahead of the United Nations 16 days Activism on Violence Against Women and Girls, set to begin November 25th through December 10, 2025, with the global theme, UNiTE to End Digital Violence against Women and Girls, gender advocates and activists have called for Nigeria’s strengthened efforts in addressing digital violence meted on women and girls.

A 2020 study by Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) showed that 91 percent of women in Africa have witnessed online harassment and violence which tells a continental crisis that is deeply entrenched in Nigeria’s online culture. The abuse mirrors offline gender norms – misogynistic insults, threats, moral shaming, doxxing, and non-consensual image sharing are routinely deployed to silence and intimidate women.

No woman is however spared; a senator representing Kogi Central District, Natasha Akpoti experienced digital violence after publicly challenging the 10th assembly Senate President, Godswill Akpabio. She became the target of a months-long smear campaign, culminating in a violent attack on her home. Online falsehoods about her private life spread rapidly, amplified by derogatory memes and sexist commentary.
Also, for #BringBackOurGirls campaigner, Aisha Yesufu, she endured relentless trolling, racist and dehumanising imagery, smear narratives, and explicit death threats. During the #EndSARS protests, posts openly called for her lynching. Her account was repeatedly suspended due to coordinated mass-reporting an increasingly common tactic used to silence women online.

These are a few of the many cases of digital violence women have faced in the Nigerian online landscape. Speaking ahead of the UN’s 16 Days of Activism theme and on the need to rise up for the many women and girls affected by digital violence, Executive Director, TechHerNG, Chioma Agwuegbo said that systemic failures continue to make Nigeria’s online spaces unsafe, despite the presence of cybercrime legislation.
She noted that the rise in online harassment, cyberstalking, doctored images, and non-consensual content sharing is not necessarily because the laws do not exist, but because they are poorly understood and weakly enforced. “The clauses are ambiguous, the police are unaware of these laws, and the justice system lacks the technical capacity and sensitivity to investigate complex digital crimes.”
Agwuegbo highlighted a case reported through TechHer’s Kuram platform where officers demanded that intimate videos be sent to them via WhatsApp, a request she described as both unethical and a violation of survivors’ privacy.

According to her, digital crimes thrive because they are simply not treated as crimes. “Gender-based violence in Nigeria is something people say when they want to sound serious, but we don’t actually accord it the seriousness it requires. Many officers dismiss online threats or image-based abuse as domestic issues, despite the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act clearly stating that the threat of violence is itself violence.

Agwuegbo also pointed to victim-blaming, stigma, and personal biases within the justice system. “When we report incidents involving sexualised content, you hear things like, ‘Why did they make nude videos? Only bad girls do those types of things.’ But when content has been weaponised by perpetrators, the person deserving all the shame is the perpetrator, not the survivor.”

Compounding the challenge, she said conflicting laws such as the Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act has been so ambiguously applied that it almost criminalises the existence of the LGBTQIA+ community, making queer survivors of digital abuse afraid to report violations. Also, digital illiteracy, the high cost of navigating the justice system, and the complexity of reporting processes further deter victims from seeking help as some people would rather just exit online spaces.

On enforcement gaps, she described the lack of consequences as the biggest driver of impunity. “People do all sorts of terrible things and they get away with it. Justice is slow. There is no deterrent,” she said, citing recent incidents of fabricated WhatsApp chats and doctored videos used to defame young women. “People do all sorts of terrible things and they get away with it. Just this morning, there have been cases we’ve received where, first is someone faked WhatsApp chats by another person confessing to her boyfriend that she was sleeping with dogs. We have incidents where again, WhatsApp chats have been faked to say that some girls were teaching their younger brothers how to rape others. We have also seen doctored videos of young women simulating sex with animals, with other people. We have seen all sorts of things, but there are no consequences.”

Agwuegboemphasised that holding tech companies accountable must start with strengthening Nigeria’s own institutional response. “Charity begins at home. We must first acknowledge that tech-facilitated gender-based violence is an urgent problem. We’re still outsourcing the safety of women and girls to civil society.
She Forum Africa’s Founder, Inimfon Etuk noted that the world is losing ground in the countdown to the United Nations’ 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 5 on gender equality. She warned that the idea of achieving Goal 5 remains far-fetched if the world does not prioritise digital safety.

Etuk described the rapid deterioration of online environments, noting that the digital space once expected to be liberating is becoming increasingly hostile. “The online and digital spaces are proving to be less empowering for women and girls, the exact opposite of what we thought it would be, one random ill-intentioned comment or post leads to lifetime damages for the victim. In some cases, digital abuse escalates into brazen, bare-fetched physical attacks.”

Weak regulatory structures, slow-moving legal systems, and limited platform accountability have created an environment where perpetrators operate with relative impunity. Etuk described digital violence as a deprivation aggravated by laws that lack specificity, making prosecution difficult. She also highlighted the anonymity loophole, noting that anybody can just get up and own an account, allowing offenders to hide behind false identities and evade justice.

Public behaviour further complicates the landscape. She pointed to the bandwagon effect that fuels viral content, calling it the jungle justice syndrome. “Once harmful material starts trending, everybody latches onto it, increasing the survivor’s trauma while emboldening perpetrators. This online mob culture, often discourages survivors from reporting incidents or seeking support.”

In her view, founder of Beyond the Classroom Foundation, Raquel Daniel, said advancing online safety for girls requires direct intervention, practical education, and consistent cultural change. She said that her organisation’s work has always been driven by the need to protect children especially girls in underserved communities whenever gaps emerge that threaten their safety or education. “Anytime we notice a gap that threatens their education or safety, we step in and try to do something about it.”

This commitment informed the launch of the ‘DigiUp Girls’ Project, a long-running initiative focused on technology literacy, digital confidence, and exposing girls to opportunities in STEM fields. With support from partners, the programme also provides laptops to ensure learning continues beyond the classroom. Daniel noted that the work evolved into the ‘Safer Girls’ Project, which covers both online and offline safety.

“Through it, girls learn how to identify digital risks such as cyberbullying, grooming, and harassment, and critically how to respond when they encounter them. Our role is really to help girls understand the kinds of dangers that exist online and show them simple, everyday ways to keep themselves safe.”

Daniel stresses that digital gender-based violence (GBV) in Nigeria persists because of deeply rooted cultural and structural barriers. “On the cultural side, girls are often raised with restrictive messages such as ‘don’t cause trouble’ or ‘don’t bring shame’, which follow them into online spaces and silence them. Structurally, the digital literacy gap leaves many girls exposed because they lack the skills to protect themselves online. These challenges are made worse by weak reporting systems and a lack of accountability for perpetrators. When girls know nothing will be done, they simply stay silent, creating an environment where digital abuse thrives unchecked.”

Addressing the stigma and victim-blaming that discourage women from reporting online abuse requires deliberate social change. She said that shifting attitudes starts with openly rejecting harmful norms. “We need to keep saying clearly and consistently, that abuse is never the victim’s fault. Supportive environments both online and offline are essential so that survivors feel believed, protected, and encouraged to speak up. She argues that cultural shifts become more sustainable when communities witness positive examples of victims receiving support rather than shame. She also emphasises the importance of including boys and men in these efforts, noting that if we don’t engage them, we’re only addressing half the problem.

Executive Director, Center For Redefining Alternative Civic Engagement in Africa (RACE Centre), Evelyn Ugbe, frames digital violence in Nigeria as a spectrum of online harms that disproportionately target women and girls. She noted that it ranges from cyberbullying and harassment to doxing and the non-consensual sharing of intimate images, all reinforced by cultural norms that lead to victim-blaming and discourage reporting.
She stressed that social media often becomes a tool for amplifying stereotypes, shame, and threats, deepening existing gender inequalities. Describing the Cybercrimes Act as inadequate, she said it fails to adequately define gendered forms of online violence, resulting in major enforcement gaps. According to her, protections for women and girls remain weak, penalties are too lenient, and public awareness is low. The regulatory environment lacks cohesion, making consistent enforcement difficult.

Ugbe highlights coordination failures across national agencies such as National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), and National Agency for the Protection of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP). “Their work is fragmented with siloed approaches and limited focus on citizen protection. Engaging tech companies is particularly challenging because many do not have physical offices in Nigeria complicating efforts to build effective partnerships. While NAPTIP shows potential, issues related to access and funding hinder its effectiveness.”
On the VAPP Act, Ugbe pointed out that although it contains relevant provisions, many are ambiguous in digital contexts. Enforcement struggles persist because officers receive insufficient training to interpret the law in digital cases, leaving victims without meaningful recourse.

For Executive Director of The New Generation Girls and Women Development Initiative (NIGAWD) Abimbola Aladejare-Salako, she said that digital gender-based violence in Nigeria is driven by a mix of structural weaknesses and entrenched cultural norms. Pointing to anonymity on social platforms as a major catalyst, she noted that it empowers perpetrators who hide their identities to harass women and girls, including failure of platforms to verify users’ ages, which exposes underage children who are unequipped to handle online risks and especially vulnerable to abuse.

Aladejare-Salako further noted that patriarchal norms continue to normalise online violence, while low digital literacy leaves many women exposed, with some even losing their lives to online facilitated GBV and digital violence. “Enforcement is weak and reporting systems are ineffective. I have reported many online posts without getting single feedback which increases widespread distrust in available mechanisms. Cultural stigma and victim-blaming also silence survivors and limit reporting.”

Defining progress ahead of the next 16 Days of Activism, Ugbe says success would include the passage of comprehensive legislation citing the Child Online Access Protection Bill as well as more robust public education on online safety. Strengthened law-enforcement training and new strategic partnerships between government, civil society, and tech platforms are also essential.

Agwuegbo however called for better alignment with UN frameworks, beginning with universal digital access and foundational infrastructure. “You can’t talk about digital literacy when children are sitting on the floor in schools without electricity. Access must be inclusive, covering people with disabilities, rural communities, and vulnerable groups.
She added that teachers need upskilling, schools require infrastructure, and vocational centers must integrate technology training. “Access is the first word in our mission. We want women and girls to access, understand, and utilise technology safely and meaningfully.”
Etuk stressed that the fight must begin and be anchored in policy. She referenced the United Nations Cybercrime Convention of 2024 which she described as the first binding global instrument addressing digital violence as well as Nigeria’s Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act. “Their lack of specifics makes adjudication tricky hence there is need for clearer frameworks to measure and prosecute technology-facilitated gender-based violence. Strengthening data privacy laws is essential. We need laws with teeth and spine that deliver consequences to perpetrators for violations.”

For her, enforcement is the linchpin. “Enforcement is key. That’s where the work is at, digital violence must be treated like any other crime. Tech companies to should operationalise their community standards, they rarely ever enforce those things thereby enabling harmful content to thrive.

“Advocates, media actors, influencers, and journalists are not exempt from responsibility. She Forum Africa will continue pushing for stronger legislation, transparent adjudication, and accountability systems. Everyone can make impact and contribute from their sphere of influence. We all must act to end violence if we are to deliver a future free from any and all forms of violence against women and girls.”
On shifting societal attitudes, Aladejare-Salako called for a coordinated effort across government, technology companies, educators, and caregivers. She urged platforms to adopt stronger, adolescent-focused safety tools, while emphasising that every adolescent deserves protection, dignity, and safety both offline and online. “Public awareness campaigns, school-based programmes, and engagement with influencers and community leaders are essential to challenging harmful norms. Strengthening laws, expanding support services, and amplifying survivor stories are also key to breaking the silence.”