Google commits $600,000 to map online risks facing Nigerian teenagers

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Read History Go to My Account Log Out Enhanced by Google Technology Google commits $600,000 to map online risks facing Nigerian teenagers Google has committed $600,000 to support Nigeria’s first nationwide study of online risks facing children, targeting 2,000 teenagers across the

Listen to this article Share Google has committed $600,000 to support Nigeria’s first nationwide study of online risks facing children, targeting 2,000 teenagers across the country’s six geopolitical zones as concerns grow over their exposure to harmful content and unsafe digital environments.

The funding, provided through Google.org, Google’s philanthropic arm, comprises $550,000 in direct funding and $50,000 in Google Ad Grants for the TechSocietal Development Foundation to conduct the research and strengthen digital safety education among parents, teachers and caregivers.

The study will establish a national baseline of how adolescents use the internet and the digital risks they encounter, providing evidence that could help policymakers, educators and families develop more effective approaches to protecting children online without restricting their access to digital learning opportunities.

The intervention comes amid growing public concern about children’s exposure to online harm. Recent consultations conducted by the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) found that 93.5 percent of Nigerians were worried about the risks children face online.

Under the programme, TechSocietal will survey 2,000 adolescents across all six geopolitical zones, train 5,000 teachers and school administrators through its Safety First curriculum, and equip 200 community champions to reach up to 10,000 parents and caregivers.

Google is also introducing its Meet LEO (Learn and Explore Online) child online safety programme to Nigeria, marking its first pilot in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Delivered by Tech Hive Advisory across four states, the initiative will train 500 educators and youth leaders to help children navigate the internet safely. Participants will learn to use digital protection tools, including Google Family Link, SafeSearch and YouTube Supervised Experiences, and pass the knowledge to another 2,500 students and community members.

Together, both initiatives are expected to reach 18,000 people through research, training and community-based education.

Olumide Balogun, country director of Google Nigeria, said protecting children online required collaboration between technology companies, educators, parents and communities.

He said the initiatives combine local research with practical training to help Nigerian children explore the internet safely, adding that protecting young people should not mean disconnecting them from opportunities to learn and develop.

Vincent Olatunji, national commissioner of the NDPC, said the findings from the commission’s consultations demonstrated the need for collaboration among government, technology platforms, educators and families.

He described Google’s support for nationwide research and grassroots digital safety training as an important contribution to building a safer online environment for children.

Ridwan Oloyede, lead partner at Tech Hive Advisory, said the Meet LEO pilot would equip 500 frontline educators and youth leaders with practical safety tools, creating a multiplier effect expected to reach 2,500 additional learners.

Tope Ogundipe, executive director of TechSocietal Development Foundation, said the organisation would use the funding to establish the country’s first nationwide baseline study while strengthening the capacity of teachers and caregivers to guide young people online.

The initiatives also address a growing challenge in Nigeria, where children increasingly access the internet through mobile devices that may be shared among several family members, complicating parental supervision and exposure management.

Google said the latest commitments build on more than $3.5 million it has provided for online safety initiatives across Sub-Saharan Africa since 2020. Its previous interventions have reached 2.3 million Nigerians through 10 local organisations and trained more than 43,000 young people through Junior Achievement Africa.

The nationwide study could provide a clearer picture of the risks facing Nigerian teenagers and the interventions required to address them as internet access becomes increasingly central to education, communication and social participation.

Royal Ibeh is a senior journalist with years of experience reporting on Nigeria’s technology and health sectors. She currently covers the Technology and Health beats for BusinessDay newspaper, where she writes in-depth stories on digital innovation, telecom infrastructure, healthcare systems, and public health policies.