The National Assembly has pledged to expedite the passage of the Child Online Access Protection Bill (2023) to safeguard Nigerian children from the growing threat of online exploitation and digital abuse.

The assurance was given on Monday in Abuja during the Stakeholders’ Forum on Digital Safety and Online Harms in Nigeria, organised by the National Online Safety Coalition in partnership with Gatefield and Paradigm Initiative (PIN).

At the event, stakeholders also unveiled the Gatefield State of Online Harm in Nigeria Report, which revealed that at least 50 per cent of Nigerian internet users regularly experience various forms of online harm, including misinformation, hate speech, cyberbullying, and child exploitation.

Speaking at the forum, Chairman of the House Committee on Justice and sponsor of the bill, Hon. Olumide Osoba, described the increasing cases of child online abuse as a “national emergency for digital safety.”

“The internet has become a space where children encounter daily harm; every sector must play its part in building a culture of online responsibility,” Osoba said.

“After COVID-19, we saw how children were exposed to predators online. The figures show that 90 per cent of our children have faced online risks — that should alarm everyone.”

The proposed legislation seeks to establish stronger regulatory frameworks, promote responsible online behavior, and enhance collaboration among government agencies, civil society, and digital platforms to ensure a safer online environment for children.