Nigeria has begun consultations on potential policy approaches for the protection of children online, including age restrictions, improved age verification systems, platform accountability measures, and enhanced regulatory oversight.
The Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, in collaboration with the Nigerian Data Protection Commission has launched a public poll seeking input from parents, educators, young people, and digital experts on how best to regulate children’s access to social media and other digital platforms.
This initiative, the ministry reveals, is to protect children from online risks such as cyberbullying, harmful content, online exploitation, misuse of personal data, and emerging challenges linked to artificial intelligence tools associated with social media use.
If the move succeeds, Nigeria is set to join countries such as Australia, which implemented a ban on social media for under-16s in December 2025, forcing platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube to restrict access.
Indonesia which has also announced a social media ban for children under 16, following similar global trends and Denmark which is also set to ban social media platforms for children under 15.
The Danish government announced in November 2025 that it had secured support for the ban from three governing coalition parties and two opposition parties in parliament while the French and Spanish governments are also mulling social media bans.
