Stakeholders Harp on Child Online Safety, Abuse Reporting

Agnes Ekebuike

Industry stakeholders have stressed the need for child online safety and timely abuse reporting in Nigeria.

The stakeholders reconvened at a Fireside Chat webinar to discuss the implementation and recommendations from last year’s COSPRA 2023 Summit, which focused on digital literacy and child online safety in Nigeria.

The gathering provided an opportunity for speakers to reflect on the progress made and the challenges still facing online safety in Nigeria.

Regional Lead for Anglophone West Africa at Paradigm Initiative, Khadija El-Usman, highlighted the fragmented efforts in digital literacy across Nigeria.

She stressed that children often have to source information from multiple channels, which is inefficient and potentially harmful.

Head, Internet Governance Unit, New Media and Information Security Department of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Ibiso Kingsley-George, addressed internet accessibility as a right for Nigerian children.

President and CEO of the High Tech Centre for Nigerian Women and Youths, Dr. Hassan Wunmi, emphasised the importance of foundational digital infrastructure in schools. She argued that both public and private schools need robust digital frameworks to enhance literacy, safety, and overall connectivity.

Legal perspectives were provided by the Co-founder of the Digital Rights Lawyers Initiative, Solomon Okedara, who discussed the critical role of schools and parents in ensuring the online safety of children.

The Head, Department of Paediatrics from the Federal Medical Centre in Ebute-Metta, Lagos, Dr. Nnenna Ndukwe Kalu, spoke on the necessity of open communication between children and parents. online abuse.