Some experts have called for a multi-stakeholder approach to ensure online safety while upholding citizens’ fundamental human rights.
The call was made on Tuesday at the Online Safety Forum 2025 in Lagos, organized by Techsocietal, with the theme “Digital Access, Accountable Platforms and Inclusive Regulation.”
Techsocietal is a collective of digital rights advocates, policy strategists, technologists, educators, and legal experts working at the intersection of technology, safety, and equity.
The Executive Director of Paradigm Initiative, Mr. Gbenga Sesan, speaking during a keynote panel, said collaboration among regulators, civil society, and security agencies was crucial to achieving online safety.
Sesan noted that security, safety, and rights were intrinsically linked, dismissing the notion of a “security versus rights” paradox.
“We have the difficult task of ensuring that human rights are a security issue, and that security is a human rights issue.
We can keep children and everyone else safe online without disrespecting citizens’ rights,” he said.
He stressed that this balance had been achieved in other countries and could be replicated in Nigeria through cooperation among all stakeholders.
Sesan cautioned against unilateral action, saying regulators could not make rules in isolation, civil society could not reject every proposal, and security agencies could not rely solely on clampdowns.
“Everybody needs to come to the table and adjust their plans until it becomes fair,” he said.
Sesan, who also mentors the organizers, commended the initiative but urged them to move beyond discussions to practical implementation.
A separate panel session titled “From Online Harms to Justice Pathway: MyLawbrella Journey and What Next” highlighted the need for stronger image-based rights and improved digital tools to support young survivors of online abuse.
MyLawbrella is a digital platform that helps survivors of sextortion and online harassment navigate justice through secure, tech-enabled support and expert guidance.
The Head of the Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) Response Unit at the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Yewande Gbola-Awopetu, expressed optimism that amendments to existing laws addressing online challenges would take effect next year.
She said while Nigeria had strong laws, implementation and funding remained major challenges.
Mrs. Juliet Olumuyiwa, Pioneer Centre Manager at the Mirabel Centre, also raised concerns over the growing sophistication of online perpetrators who exploit victims’ likenesses using artificial intelligence (AI).
Olumuyiwa explained that offenders could now create fake images and videos without the victim’s involvement, causing severe psychological and emotional harm.
She stressed the need for individuals to have enforceable image-based rights rooted in consent and called for the introduction of digital tools to simplify the reporting process.
