Regulating Online Child Safety in Nigeria

In Nigeria, Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution and Section 8 of the Child Rights Act provide

for children's right to privacy.

Section 23 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition and Prevention) Act 2015 criminalises child

pornography. The Act also criminalises cyberbullying and cyberstalking that could affect

children.

Article 10 of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child provides the right to

privacy for children. The Committee of Experts has the powers under Article 42 of the Charter

“to formulate and lay down principles and rules aimed at protecting the rights and welfare of

children in Africa.” The Charter has been ratified by Nigeria and any rules and principles

developed by the Committee would be influential in Nigerian regulation and policy.

The ITU launched the child online protection (COP) initiative in November 2008 as a multi- stakeholder effort within the global cybersecurity agenda (GCA) framework. ITU in collaboration with COP prepared guidelines ready to be adapted and adopted by all stakeholders: children, parents, guardians, educators and industry policy makers.

Associated with the ITU’s COP initiative, the Nigerian Communications Commission developed a draft Nigerian Child Online Protection Policy (NCOPP). The NCOPP will be further reviewed taking

into consideration the evolving global technology and practices in the cyber space as well as develop the revised National Child Online Protection document which will comprise of a Policy, Strategy and Action Plan.

At a joint workshop on child online protection on Tuesday October 15, 2019, the Executive

Vice Chairman (EVC) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), said that the

Commission is coming up with an awareness project which is aimed at sensitising the

Nigerian child on the safe use of the Internet.

Nigeria is home to organisations such such as the Ndukwe Kalu Foundation, a Special

purpose Vehicle (SPV), established by NiRA, whose mission includes “to provide advocacy

for child online protection” and “to promote knowledge in ICT and proper use of the Internet”.