Digital Rights Officer, Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), Ali Sabo, has said that digital citizenship will help create safer, more inclusive and responsible digital society.

Speaking at a two-day training on digital rights, protection mechanisms and online security tools for digital rights activists and journalists in Nigeria, Sabo noted that digital citizenship is an ongoing journey of learning, growth and adaptation.

The training, organised in Lagos by Spaces for Change (S4C), was funded by European Union (EU) as part of the ‘Enhancing digital rights in Nigeria (e-RIGHTS)’ project, co-implemented by Avocats Sans Frontieres (Lawyers without Borders), France and CITAD.

In his presentation, titled ‘The Concept of the Digital Space’, Sabo stated: “By embracing the principles of digital citizenship, we can collectively create a safer, more inclusive and responsible digital society for all. Remember, being a responsible digital citizen is an ongoing process that requires continuous learning and adaptation. As technology evolves, so too must our understanding and application of digital citizenship principles.”

Executive Director of S4C, Victoria Ibezim-Ohaeri, emphasised the importance of such capacity-building initiatives, highlighting the need for individuals exploring online to be capable of protecting themselves from the threats present in the digital space.

Attorney-at-Law, Amanim Akpabio and Associates, Dr Amanim Akpabio, who took the participants on ‘Digital Rights’, asserted that human rights have moved from the basic things of life to things that make life pleasurable.

Patrick Allam of S4C took the stakeholders on ‘Digital Threats and Online Harms’ and ‘Online Free Speech and Related Concepts/Laws’, while Ibezim-Ohaeri handled Social Protection Mechanisms and Rapid Response’ and bits of ‘Digital Rights Protection’. Programme Associate, Digital Rights, S4C, Godson Emeji, treated the topic, ‘Analysis of Digital Rights and the Closing Spaces Database’.