TechHer’s Coffee & Circumvention Drives Critical Digital Safety Dialogues at Admiralty University ofNigeria

Folalumi Alaran in Abuja

As digital connectivity continues to expand across higher institutions while digital safety awareness
remains uneven, TechHer brought its signature community event, Coffee & Circumvention, to
students of the Admiralty University of Nigeria (ADUN) in Asaba, Delta State. The gathering created a safe space for undergraduate students to examine, question, and navigate the increasingly complex realities of online harm, digital vulnerabilities, and technology-facilitated abuse.

The welcome address was delivered by Mr Olusegun Johnson, Principal Assistant Registrar in the Academic Office at ADUN. While welcoming the TechHer team, he emphasised the importance of
equipping young people with the knowledge and skills to navigate today’s digital world safely.

“Digital literacy is no longer just an academic advantage; it is the baseline for personal security
and ethical leadership in the modern world. Learning how to recognise harm, how to protect
yourself, and how to support one another online is as fundamental to your success as any
lecture delivered in these halls. I encourage every student here to speak openly, ask difficult
questions, and carry what you learn today into your careers, your relationships, and your
communities. This is the kind of literacy that shapes citizens, and Admiralty University is proud
to make room for it.”

The opening session, facilitated by Jemimah Inyangudo, Media and Communications Officer at
TechHer, encouraged students to reflect on what they already knew about digital safety while
exploring the many ways online harm manifests. Although many participants initially believed they
had never experienced online abuse or digital violence, the discussion unpacked different forms of
digital misconduct. As technical terms gave way to real-life examples, students moved beyond denial
and began sharing experiences they had previously overlooked or normalised.

Reflecting on the psychological dynamics of campus cyberbullying, Anya Chiburoma, a Software
Engineering student, shared:
“A lot of the harassment people face online comes from low self-esteem. When someone is
being torn down, others jump on because they don’t feel good about themselves either. That
is why there are so few active bystanders. For women, especially in universities, so much of
the abuse we receive through anonymous messages comes from people who cannot handle
rejection. They want to know why we had the courage to say no. I have experienced this many
times, and until today, I did not realise how common it was.”

Moments like these underscored the importance of creating trusted spaces where young people can
openly discuss their digital experiences.Speaking during the event, Jemimah Inyangudo explained that Coffee & Circumvention was
intentionally designed to make conversations around digital safety more relatable and accessible.

“Digital safety conversations shouldn’t only happen after someone has been harmed. Coffee &
Circumvention exists because people need spaces where they can ask difficult questions,
unpack experiences they may never have recognised as harmful, and realise they are not
alone. Every conversation is an opportunity to replace silence with knowledge and fear with
confidence.”

Building on these conversations, the session transitioned into Reimagining Trust and Safety,
facilitated by Ugochi Ihe, TechHer’s Digital Literacy and Education Officer. She began with an
interactive exercise that invited students to map their digital interactions across three circles,
friends, strangers, and themselves. Participants reflected on how everyday choices, what they post,
ignore, forward, or scroll past, quietly shape the digital habits they develop over time.
“Trust online is a currency we spend before we understand its value,” Ugochi told the room.

“Every message you send, every account you follow, every silence you keep in a group chat is a
deposit or a withdrawal. Safety begins the moment we take our own behaviour seriously
because the internet does not become safer by accident. It becomes safer when people
decide to be more thoughtful about how they show up in it.”

She then posed a question that left the room in quiet reflection: “If the version of you online met the version of you offline, would they recognise each other,and would they trust each other?”
The question prompted students to reflect on how the session had reshaped their understanding of
digital safety.

“I walked in thinking digital safety was about strong passwords and avoiding suspicious links. I
am leaving with a completely different understanding. How I treat people in group chats,
whether I speak up when someone is being dragged online, whether I forward things without
thinking, all of that is part of who I am online. I want to be more intentional from now on,”
said Reginald Umukoro, a student in the Department of Chemistry. Similarly, Jennifer Ukpong said:”I did not realise how much of what I have experienced actually has a name. Hearing other students share made me feel less alone. I also understood for the first time that being a bystander is a choice. I want to be the kind of person who steps in when I see something wrong, whether it is online or in real life.”

The event concluded with an introduction to TechHer’s Digital Champions Initiative, a paid
opportunity for digitally skilled young people to work alongside market women in select communities across Asaba. Through practical, one-on-one support, Digital Champions help women build confidence in using digital tools, advancing both digital inclusion and economic participation.With support from Luminate, TechHer continues to expand Coffee & Circumvention to universities and
communities across Nigeria, fostering open conversations that equip people with the knowledge and confidence to navigate digital spaces safely and responsibly.