Abolaji Adebayo 
MTN Nigeria has intensified its campaign against child cyberbullying through its “Help Children Be Children” initiative, aimed at safeguarding teenagers and young adults online. The telco, alongside global research firm IPSOS and tech giant Meta, has joined calls for urgent and coordinated action to protect children from online harm, warning that without stronger safeguards, young people risk long-term exposure to cyberbullying, predatory behavior, and harmful content.
Research indicates that over 70 per cent of children between 8 and 17 years in Nigeria have internet access. A survey of 514 children in Lagos revealed that 32 per cent have engaged with strangers online, while 18% have actually met those strangers in person.
Speaking at a recent event for the campaign in Lagos, Associate Director at IPSOS, Marcus Hollington, emphasised the critical need for stronger legal frameworks, increased parental engagement, and multi-stakeholder collaboration. He stated that parental involvement has an outsized impact on online safety and stressed the need for better reporting mechanisms and safer internet usage practices.
The research further showed that Nigerian children who spend more than an hour online daily are significantly more likely to encounter risks like cyberbullying and inappropriate content. Hollington warned that governments, schools, and communities must continuously adapt their strategies as predators constantly seek new ways to exploit children.
General Manager of Regulatory Affairs at MTN Nigeria, Ikenna Ikeme, stated that the company’s role extends beyond providing connectivity, taking on the corporate responsibility of ensuring online safety for children. He explained that while the internet offers opportunities for learning and connection, it also comes with risks, and MTN’s mission is to make those connections safe and empowering.
MTN’s initiatives include blocking access to child sexual abuse material, supporting law enforcement, and providing confidential reporting tools through the Internet Watch Foundation portal. The company also launched the “Room of Safety” in partnership with MTV Base, a youth-led video series addressing cyberbullying and harmful content. Meta, the operator of Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Threads, also showcased its teen-focused safety controls.
Meta’s Public Policy Manager for West Africa, Victoria Oloni, detailed features such as Teen Accounts that default to private, content filters to shield minors from nudity, time management tools, and parental supervision features via the Family Center.
She also highlighted Meta’s community standards, AIdriven removal of harmful content, and its digital literacy curriculum, “My Digital World,” which has reached over 600,000 people in Nigeria. Oloni affirmed that keeping young people safe online requires a collective effort from governments, schools, civil society, and the youth themselves.
