As part of efforts aimed at creating a safer digital environment for the nation’s children, the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, partnered with the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) to convene a high-level stakeholder engagement.
 
Opening the conference, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, noted that the protection of children online is a national priority and shared responsibility.
 
Saying there is a growing influence of digital platforms on children’s attention, behaviour and information consumption, he noted risks of cyberbullying, exposure to harmful content and digital addiction can be detrimental.
 
Specifically, he cited stakeholder survey findings showing strong public support for enhanced child online protection measures, calling for a balanced approach that combines regulation, public awareness, parental guidance, school involvement and civil society participation.
 
Speaking in the same vein, the National Commissioner/Chief Executive Officer of the NDPC, Dr Vincent Olatunji, stressed the need for a coordinated approach to protecting children online, noting that the Internet has become a natural part of children’s daily lives.
 
To him, it is important to strengthen legal awareness, promote the duty-of-care model for digital platforms, address privacy and age-verification concerns, and ensure greater accountability by platform providers.
 
He also emphasised the imperative of stakeholder engagement in shaping policies and interventions that will safeguard children in the digital space.
 
A presentation on the comprehensive public consultation survey, capturing the views of Nigerians on the regulation of children’s access to social media platforms, was delivered at the event.
 
The event was attended by relevant stakeholders, including representatives of government agencies, civil society organisations, development partners, industry innovators, school students and academia, who also made valuable contributions to discussions at the event.