Reps advance bill to protect children against online violence, abuse

A Bill for an Act to provide for the enactment of Child Online Access Protection and other Issues of Online Violence Against the Nigerian Child has passed third reading in the House of Representatives.

The bill which is sponsored by Rep. Olumide Osoba (APC-Ogun) and Rep. Babajimi Benson (APC-Lagos) received majority vote after the adoption of a report on the bill by the Committee on Justice.

The report highlighted the urgent need to curb rising cases of online abuse, exploitation and exposure of children to harmful digital content.

The report also provided enhanced legal framework to ensure a safer digital environment for minors, particularly as technology becomes increasingly integrated into everyday life.

It mandates stronger protections, clearer responsibilities for digital service providers, and improved mechanisms for reporting and preventing online harms.

The report states that said the passage of the bill demonstrates the National Assembly’s commitment to the safety, well-being, and digital protection of Nigerian children.

The reports states that parents and guardians, can be reassured that proactive measured are being taken to shield children from the dangers that lurk online.

The house unanimously agreed that existing laws were no longer sufficient to tackle the evolving threats children face on the internet.

The bill will now be transmitted to the Senate for concurrence after which it will be transmitted to the President for assent.