A growing push for stricter control of children’s access to social media in Nigeria is gaining momentum, as new data shows overwhelming public concern over online risks and a rapidly evolving digital threat landscape driven in part by artificial intelligence.
A public consultation conducted by the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy reveals that 83.4 percent of respondents support some form of restriction on social media use by minors. The survey also found that 93.5 percent of participants are either highly or extremely concerned about children under 18 using social media platforms.
The findings were presented in Lagos at a roundtable on child online safety, organised in partnership with the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC).
The consultation drew 585 participants.Support for regulation was strong and relatively consistent across respondents. About 64.8 percent backed outright regulation of children’s access to social media, while 18.6 percent preferred regulation tied to a higher minimum age threshold. Only 16.6 percent opposed regulatory intervention.
On possible complementary measures, opinions were more divided. While 51 percent of respondents prioritised digital literacy and education as key safeguards, 40 percent said parental supervision tools would be more effective in reducing risks.
Age preference data also showed a shift toward stricter thresholds than current global norms. About 36.8 percent of respondents supported 16 years as the minimum age for social media access, while 27.7 percent preferred 17 years. Only 13 percent aligned with the current global benchmark of 13 years, which is used by platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X.
Across all responses, harmful content emerged as the most widely reported concern, cited by 90.9 percent of participants. This was followed by digital addiction at 83.6 percent and online grooming at 82.4 percent. In addition, 74.5 percent of respondents said many parents and children do not fully understand the legal consequences of cyber-related offences. Almost all participants, 97.6 percent, supported the idea of a “duty-of-care” requirement compelling platforms to take stronger steps to prevent harm.
Those fears are increasingly being shaped by a rapidly worsening global reality, one that Nigeria is not insulated from.
The growing influence of artificial intelligence is now a major concern in child online safety discussions. The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) in the United Kingdom, which tracks online child sexual abuse material, reported a 26,385 percent increase in AI-generated child sexual abuse videos between 2024 and 2025. The figure rose from just 13 videos in 2024 to 3,443 in 2025.
Similarly, in February 2026, UNICEF warned that over the preceding year, at least 1.2 million children across 11 countries had their images digitally altered into sexually explicit deepfake content, highlighting how quickly synthetic media is reshaping online exploitation risks.
Speaking at the Lagos roundtable, Bosun Tijani, minister of communications, innovation and digital economy,said the findings reflect how fast the digital ecosystem is changing and why regulatory frameworks must evolve alongside it.
He argued that the debate should now focus less on whether safeguards are necessary and more on how effectively they can be implemented, noting that Nigeria already possesses elements of digital identity infrastructure and platform verification systems that could support enforcement.
Tijani added that while no system is perfect and some users may attempt to bypass restrictions, that should not be a reason to avoid putting protections in place.
He further stressed that social media remains a tool for learning and innovation, but said children must be protected from exploitation, harmful content, and emerging digital threats. According to him, enforcement will require collaboration between government agencies, parents, schools, and technology companies.
Also speaking, Vincent Olatunji,the National Commissioner of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission, pointed to rising risks such as cyberbullying, cyberstalking, exposure to harmful content, and growing mental health pressures linked to digital engagement.
He said access to the internet remains essential for education and development, but warned that safety mechanisms must evolve in parallel with digital inclusion. Olatunji described child online protection as a shared responsibility requiring coordination across regulators, families, schools, and online platforms.
The Nigerian debate mirrors a broader global policy shift. Countries such as Australia have introduced restrictions for users under 16, while Indonesia is considering similar measures. In Europe, Denmark is preparing a ban for children under 15, and France has already passed legislation restricting social media access for those under 15, with presidential backing.
Against this backdrop, Nigeria’s proposed direction suggests a blended approach combining age-based restrictions with digital identity verification and platform-level enforcement tools rather than relying on a single regulatory mechanism.
While the survey reflects strong public support for intervention, it also shows a minority view advocating for greater emphasis on digital literacy, education, and parental supervision as alternatives to strict regulation.
