By Gift Chapi Odekina, Abuja

ABUJA — Civil society organisations, child rights advocates, educators, digital rights experts and policy stakeholders have called on the Senate to urgently pass the Child Online Access Protection Bill, warning that millions of Nigerian children remain exposed to increasing online threats.

The appeal was made during a high-level film screening and policy dialogue held in Abuja, where participants highlighted the growing risks of cyberbullying, online grooming, sexual exploitation and other forms of digital abuse affecting children.

The event, organised by Gatefield, featured a screening of Click, Bait, Repeat, a documentary focused on online harms experienced by children and the need for stronger policy responses.

Stakeholders expressed concern over rising exposure of children to harmful digital content, citing research indicating widespread encounters with online risks, including unsolicited sexual content and cyberbullying.

Speaking at the event, Gatefield’s Growth Lead, Abdulrahman Adebayo, said the documentary aimed to humanise the issue beyond statistics by focusing on real-life experiences.

“Click, Bait, Repeat takes us beyond the data and into the lived experiences behind it,” he said.

Data presented at the dialogue also indicated that a significant number of Nigerian children report feeling unsafe online, while many adolescents have experienced forms of cyberbullying. Participants further referenced findings showing that harmful content reported by users is not always removed by digital platforms.

Stakeholders argued that existing legal and regulatory frameworks are insufficient to address the fast-changing realities of children’s online experiences, particularly in areas of reporting, accountability and protection mechanisms.

Jemimah Inyangudo of TechHer said children are among the largest group of internet users in Nigeria but remain inadequately protected.

She called for stronger policy coordination, improved safeguards and clearer accountability systems to ensure child safety in digital spaces.

Also speaking, Angela Uzoma of Avocats Sans Frontières France noted that many cases of online abuse go unreported due to stigma, lack of awareness and limited trust in available reporting channels.

She stressed the need for more reliable reporting systems and stronger pathways for justice and redress.

Participants called for mandatory online safety measures by digital platforms, faster removal of harmful content, stronger moderation systems and stricter age-appropriate access controls.

They also urged greater accountability for technology companies in protecting young users and responding to harmful content.

Christina Eguma of the National Assembly’s Gender Technical Unit warned that unrestricted early access to digital platforms exposes children to significant risks and called for stronger safeguards across the digital ecosystem.

Stakeholders identified the Child Online Access Protection Bill, which has passed the House of Representatives and is currently before the Senate, as a key legislative step toward strengthening child online safety.

They said the proposed law would help establish clearer obligations for digital platforms and improve mechanisms for prevention, reporting and response to online harms.

The dialogue ended with a unified call on the Senate to expedite passage of the bill, with participants stressing the urgency of stronger legal protections and coordinated action to safeguard children in Nigeria’s digital environment.