House Committee Reaffirms Commitment to Pass Child Online Protection Bill

James Emejo in Abuja

The House of Representatives Committee on Justice, has restated its commitment to supporting the Child Online Access Protection Bill (HB 224), a proposed law aimed at safeguarding Nigerian children from harmful content and digital threats online.

Chairman of the committee, Hon. Olumide Osoba, gave the assurance during an advocacy meeting convened by the National Online Safety Coalition, led by its coalition representatives from Gatefield, CITAD, and Digicivic, to strengthen collaboration around the bill.

Osoba reiterated his readiness to work closely with stakeholders to expedite its passage, adding that “My committee is ready to support and work very closely with the coalition and other stakeholders to ensure the passage of the bill is accelerated.”

Drawing from the coalition’s policy recommendations, Shirley Ewang, Advocacy Lead at Gatefield, emphasised the dangers of Nigeria’s unregulated digital landscape, which continues to expose minors to exploitation, grooming, and harmful content.

She noted that cases of online abuse are recorded at least five times a week, underscoring the urgent need for stronger legal protections.

Ewang stressed that the timely passage of the bill, which, among other provisions, promotes platform accountability, timely takedown of harmful content, and enforcement mechanisms, would be crucial in protecting Nigerian children and ensuring accountability among perpetrators and digital platforms as online threats evolve rapidly.

She said, “Nigeria’s digital threat landscape is expanding, with children among the most vulnerable groups. Research by the Coalition indicates that over 50 per cent of Nigerian children have experienced some form of online harm.

“Alarmingly, 70 per cent of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) in Nigeria is hosted on social media and encrypted platforms, with 80 per cent of reported content remaining online beyond 48 hours.

“Despite these alarming figures, enforcement, prosecution, and platform accountability remain weak, highlighting the urgent need for a comprehensive legal framework to address these gaps.”

In response to these growing risks, the coalition previously launched the #SaferInternetforNaijaKids campaign to raise awareness and advocate for the passage of the Child Online Access Protection Bill.

The campaign garnered over 2,000 petition signatures, urging a stronger national commitment to child online safety.

Key demands from the campaign included establishing a framework requiring Big Tech platforms to improve content moderation and promptly remove harmful material; integrating online safety education into the national school curriculum, and ensuring the comprehensive passage and implementation of the Child Online Access Protection Bill.

In a statement, Ewang further noted with more than 30 million Nigerian children online, the risks of exploitation, abuse, and recruitment by malicious actors are growing at an alarming rate.

She said, “Yet, only one in 10 cases of online child abuse leads to prosecution leaving millions of children even more vulnerable. This highlights the urgent need for a legislative framework that not only prioritises prevention and protection, but also enforces prosecution and compliance among digital platforms and offenders.

“If enacted and effectively implemented, the Child Online Access Protection Bill will not only protect the Nigerian child from online threats, but also secure the future of our nation by building a safer, more responsible digital environment.”