Child Online Protection: Nigeria moves to regulate under-16 Internet access over cyberthreats

*Dr. Tunji Alausa, Minister for Education affirms the Nigerian Government’s move to safeguard minors from cyberthreats and inappropriate online exposure, stating ‘it’s our duty to protect every Nigerian child, more so underage children, from all sorts of cyberattacks and digital exposure’

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

In line with the existing Child Online Protection (COP) initiative, the Nigerian Government has moved to safeguard minors from cyberthreats and inappropriate online exposure.

ConsumerConnect reports the government said the country’s security agencies, in the coming weeks, would announce guidelines to regulate Internet access for children under 16 years.

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Dr. Tunji Alausa, Honourable Minister for Education, disclosed this Thursday, September 10, 2026, in Abuja, FCT, during the launch of the Zero-Rated Access to Education Platforms initiative.

The Federal Ministry of Education organised the launch of the approved free educational content initiative in collaboration with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

Significance of strict cybersecurity guardrails for minors, by Minister

Underscoring the importance of the policy decision to limit digital access to minors, Alausa explained though the government was aggressively expanding digital learning infrastructure in Nigeria, there is a need to establish strict cybersecurity guardrails for minors was imperative to protect young learners.

He further stated: ‎“We will be regulating internet access for children below 16 years old, and further announcements on this will be coming from our security staff in the coming days or weeks.

“It is our duty to protect every Nigerian child, more so underage children, from all sorts of cyberattacks and digital exposure.”

According to him, despite the country’s commitment to digital inclusion, this concept must be paired with strict content regulations to prevent indiscriminate exposure to unverified material in cyberspace.

He asserted: “Zero-rated access should not mean indiscriminate access to every platform that describes itself as educational.

‎”The content made available to our children must be accessible, credible, safe, and aligned with our educational objectives and curriculum.”

On democratising learning and e-book revolution in Nigeria

‎In his remarks at the event, Ikechukwu Ugwuegede, a member of the NCC Board of Commissioners, described zero-rated access as a real-time democratisation of learning comparable to the digital e-book revolution.

‎Ugwuegede said that providing free connectivity to accredited academic sites would ensure that rural and urban students or learners compete on an equal footing.

He also noted: ‎”By providing free connectivity to approved academic sites, we are ensuring that every learner, whether in a bustling city or a quiet rural community, will have equal access to knowledge.

‎”This is similar to the revolution of free e-books, but on a far greater scale; we are connecting dreams to opportunities and opportunities to reality.”

Speaking on the occasion, ‎Sen. Mohammed Muntari, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND, commended telecoms operators for deploying Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to support national education.

Muntari reportedly said the zero-rated data access initiative complemented ongoing Federal Government interventions, including the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).

The objective, he stated, is to ensure that no Nigerian child was left behind due to financial constraints.

The Federal lawmaker also said: “The leadership of the National Assembly appreciates the efforts of the telecommunications industry in ensuring our children are not left behind in acquiring knowledge.

“Under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, key programmes like NELFUND and zero-rated access are working together to expand opportunities for less-advantaged Nigerians.”

Mr. Peter Akpatason, a member of the House Committee on Communication, as well pledged parliamentary oversight to ensure telecommunications providers expand coverage to underserved communities in Nigeria.

Akpatason declared: “Access to information should not be determined by the ability to pay for data.

‎”The House of Representatives remains fully committed to regulatory and legislative frameworks that encourage innovation, affordability, and consumer protection.”