Creating a Safer Digital Future for Nigeria’s Children

As digital connectivity expands, so too does our shared responsibility to ensure that children are safe, informed, and empowered in the online world. While the internet enables young people to learn, connect
and grow, it also exposes them to rising threats that can compromise their rights and well-being.

Addressing these challenges requires more than policy; it demands intentional collaboration, child-centred design, and decisive action.

MTN Nigeria is actively contributing to the realisation of the African Union Child Online Safety and Empowerment Strategy by aligning our programmes, safeguards, and partnerships with its core principles.

Our approach is rooted in protecting children from harm, amplifying their voices, and working with governments, industry, and civil society to create safe, inclusive digital ecosystems.

We continue to strengthen safeguards across our operations, including blocking access to known sources of child sexual abuse material through third-party tools, supporting law enforcement investigations, and
offering confidential public reporting via the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) portal.

In addition, we are deepening awareness and capacity by supporting digital literacy initiatives that equip parents, caregivers, and young users with the knowledge to navigate the online world safely.

But policies and programmes are most effective when shaped with, not just for, young people. That’s why we are committed to supporting platforms and campaigns that centre youth voices and lived experiences, while working with stakeholders to embed these perspectives in policy, education, and digital innovation.

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GSMA Whitepaper: Protecting Children Online in Africa

Explore key insights from the GSMA-MTN Ministerial Roundtable on Child Online Protection (COP) in Sub-Saharan Africa, held at MWC 2025.

The whitepaper highlights the urgent need to integrate COP into digital strategies, drawing on new research from MTN and Ipsos on youth online behaviour.

It offers practical recommendations for governments, tech companies, and civil society to collaborate for a safer digital future.

MTN Unveils Groundbreaking Research on Child Online Safety in Africa

As part of its Help Children Be Children initiative, MTN Group commissioned new research with IPSOS to better understand the online experiences of children in Nigeria, South Sudan, and Zambia.

The city of Lagos was chosen as a research site due to its urban nature and the expectation of a substantial number of children and adolescents having internet access and mobile devices.

The findings reveal urgent challenges, including high levels of cyberbullying, exposure to harmful content, and rising mental health concerns among youth. Read the full Report here: Nigeria Let Children be Children