Nigeria considers age restrictions for children on social media
Nigeria may soon introduce age restrictions and stronger identity verification for social media users as the Federal Government explores ways to better protect children online.
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On Tuesday, March 10, 2026, Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, announced that the government has launched a public consultation on policies to improve child online safety, including possible age limits for social media use.<br />
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The consultation invites Nigerians, including parents, educators, young people, and digital professionals, to share their views on how the country should regulate children’s access to social media platforms.<br />
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While this announcement marks the start of the consultation phase, which began on March 10, 2026, the government says it wants to build an evidence-based policy, meaning the survey results will be analysed before formal laws or technical requirements are drafted.<br />
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The consultation explores several possible approaches, including introducing minimum age requirements for social media accounts, implementing stronger age-verification systems, increasing platform accountability, and expanding government oversight of digital platforms.<br />
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According to the Minister, the goal is to create a framework that balances the benefits of Internet access with the need to protect children from online harm.<br />
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“While the Internet provides opportunities for learning, creativity, and communication, it also exposes young users to risks such as cyberbullying, harmful content, online exploitation, and misuse of personal data.”<br />
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There is growing concern over social app features designed to keep users hooked, a major factor in the mental health crisis among teens. Also, current laws like the Nigerian Data Protection Act weren’t built to handle the hyper-targeted grooming or AI-driven misinformation that children face today.<br />
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For now, the government is still gathering public opinion before deciding on the next steps. If implemented, the policy could become part of a broader digital regulation led by the Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy.<br />
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How other countries regulate social media for children<br />
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