A new survey commissioned by Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy has revealed strong public support for regulating children’s access to social media, with 83.4 per cent of respondents backing restrictions aimed at improving online safety.
The findings were presented during a roundtable on the Safety and Protection of Children Online organised by the ministry in collaboration with the Nigeria Data Protection Commission in Lagos.
The survey comes amid government plans to introduce age-based restrictions on social media use in Nigeria. However, authorities said any regulatory framework would be shaped through nationwide consultations with citizens and stakeholders.
According to the survey, 64.8 per cent of respondents supported direct regulation of children’s social media use, while another 18.6 per cent favoured restrictions but preferred a different minimum age threshold.
Among respondents who opposed regulation, 51 per cent argued that digital literacy and education would be more effective than restrictions, while 40 per cent preferred parental control tools as the primary means of protecting children online.
On the appropriate minimum age for social media access, 36.8 per cent of respondents supported a threshold of 16 years, similar to measures recently adopted in Australia. Another 27.7 per cent favoured a minimum age of 17 years, while 13 per cent supported the current industry standard of 13 years.
The survey also highlighted widespread concern about children’s online safety, with 93.5 per cent of respondents expressing high or extreme concern over the risks faced by minors on social media platforms.
Government officials said the findings would help shape future policy discussions as Nigeria explores measures to strengthen child protection in digital spaces.
