The House of Representatives has reaffirmed its commitment to passing the Child Online Access Protection Bill (HB 224), a proposed law aimed at protecting Nigerian children from harmful online content and digital threats.

Gatefield, a public strategy and media group, disclosed this in a statement by its advocacy lead, Shirley Ewang, on Monday.

Ms Ewang said the chairman of the House Committee on Justice, Olumide Osoba, stated that the committee was ready to work with the National Online Safety Coalition and stakeholders to accelerate the passage of the bill.

The advocacy lead highlighted the dangers of Nigeria’s unregulated digital space, saying that cases of online abuse occur at least five times weekly.

She said the proposed law includes provisions for platform accountability, timely removal of harmful content, and enforcement mechanisms to protect children and ensure legal accountability.

“Research by the coalition shows that over 50 per cent of Nigerian children have experienced some form of online harm, with 70 per cent of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) hosted on social media and encrypted platforms, and 80 per cent of reported content remaining online for more than 48 hours.

”In spite of this, prosecution rates remain low, underscoring the urgent need for legislation,” she said.

She further disclosed that the coalition’s #SaferInternetforNaijaKids campaign had gathered over 2,000 petition signatures. She called for mandatory content moderation by tech platforms, the integration of online safety education into schools, and the swift enactment of the bill.

”With more than 30 million Nigerian children online, the risks of exploitation are growing. If enacted and implemented, the bill will protect children and secure a safer digital future for Nigeria,” she said.

(NAN)