15th November 2021

Online sexual exploitation and abuse in Nigeria

As one of Africa’s leaders on internet uptake, with more than half of Nigeria’s population subscribing to the internet, Nigeria’s laws are of particular importance in protecting users against online sexual exploitation and abuse (OSEA). While Nigeria has some OSEA laws in place, a lack of consistent legislation and internationally adopted laws makes obtaining legal recourse extremely challenging.

There has been outrage regarding the lack of an appropriate response by the Nigerian authorities, particularly in instances where violations are filmed and shared widely.

Key recommendations

The information in this factsheet is largely derived from our 2021 report, Ending Online Sexual Exploitation and Abuse of Women and Girls: A Call for International Standards.

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