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| Students and teachers of Our Lord Secondary School, 9th Mile Udi, Enugu, celebrating 16 Days of Activism against GBV, during digital safety sensitization campaign organized by Mothers And Marginalised Advocacy Centre (MAMA Centre) in partnership with Avocats Sans Frontieres Nigeria, with support from French Embassy in Nigeria. |
A coalition of the Mothers and Marginalised Advocacy Centre (MAMA Centre) and Avocats Sans Frontiers (ASF) Nigeria have decried the increasing risks secondary school students face on social media platforms.
The coalition expressed the concern following the commemoration of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in a statement on weekend.
The statement jointly signed by Executive Director of MAMA Centre, Dr. Chioma B. Kanu, and Bureau Chief of Avocats Sans Frontieres Nigeria, Angela Uzoma Uwandu-Iwuchukwu, also had the support of the French Embassy. It
The non-governmental organisations (NGOs) noted that over 95 percent of young people aged 13–17 are active on social media platforms as many spend upwards of three hours a day online.
They lamented that these platforms, while offering benefits such as connection and information, present often hidden dangers to adolescents. Adding that these risks occur during a crucial period of mental and emotional development.
The coalition noted that the critical dangers of internet usage for young people include exposure to harmful content that might lead to high risk of anxiety, depression and poor body image, resulting in low self-esteem, especially among girls.
Its statement partly reads, "Factors such as anonymity and the distancing effect of social media are elements that make the platform a breeding ground for cyberbullying were identified by the concerned bodies.
“Young people are exposed to inappropriate content including violent, explicit material, misinformation, and some dangerous social media challenges. This exposure can normalise risky behaviour and skew their perception of reality.
“We are also aware of malicious actors who often use the platforms to target vulnerable teens, establishing relationships with the intent to exploit or extort them, a risk compounded when private information is overshared.
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| Students and teachers of Our Lord Secondary School, 9th Mile Udi, Enugu, celebrating 16 Days of Activism against GBV, during digital safety sensitization campaign organized by Mothers And Marginalised Advocacy Centre (MAMA Centre) in partnership with Avocats Sans Frontieres Nigeria, with support from French Embassy in Nigeria. |
“The constant notifications and highly addictive nature of the platforms significantly disrupt sleep patterns and divert attention from homework and physical activity, negatively impacting academic performance and overall health.”
Based on the dangerous trend, MAMA Centre and ASF Nigeria jointly issued a set of recommendations to help reverse it.
For secondary school students and young people under the age of 18, the group strongly recommended the immediate blocking and reporting of any user who makes them feel uncomfortable, engages in harassment, or sends inappropriate requests as a stranger.
It urged children to “tell a trusted adult immediately. Set all accounts to the highest privacy level and never share personal information. Never agree to meet anyone you only know online, and if you must, you ought to be accompanied by a trusted adult and meet in public places.”
Noting that anything posted online is permanent and contributes to their digital reputation, the NGOs enjoined stakeholders to teach children to avoid sharing private, angry, or emotional content.
They further urged parents, guardians, and teachers to “utilise parental control and family pairing features on platforms like TikTok and Instagram to manage screen time and restrict content.
“Be vigilant for signs of distress related to social media use such as secrecy about online activity, changes in sleep or eating habits, avoidance of school or sudden withdrawal, seek professional help immediately.”
In addition, parents and guardians were advised to foster open, non-judgemental digital dialogue with children about their online friends, influencers, and the ways certain content makes them feel.
Addressing schools and tech companies, the groups counselled, “Schools must as a matter of urgency implement digital citizenship, by integrating a comprehensive digital citizenship curriculum that includes media literacy, critical thinking about online information and robust cyberbullying awareness and response training.
“Schools must ensure students have easy, confidential access to school counsellors or mental health professionals to discuss online issues and pressures.
“Tech companies operating in Nigeria must establish local content moderation teams with cultural expertise and language proficiency. Nigeria needs a comprehensive online safety law that addresses specific digital harms and sanctions to offenders in order to create a safe online experience for our young children.”
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| Students and teachers of Our Lord Secondary School, 9th Mile Udi, Enugu, celebrating 16 Days of Activism against GBV, during digital safety sensitization campaign organized by Mothers And Marginalised Advocacy Centre (MAMA Centre) in partnership with Avocats Sans Frontieres Nigeria, with support from French Embassy in Nigeria. |
The statement further stated: “By working together, we can ensure that our school children benefit from the positive aspects of the digital world while being protected from its most significant harm.
“We are at a point where we can not ignore the profound risks social media poses to our young people.
“The challenge is multifaceted, impacting mental health, physical safety, and academic focus. Our goal is not to ban these platforms, but to equip our students and families with the knowledge to navigate them safely and healthily.”
