NITDA, Meta Launch Fresh Drive to Protect Nigerian Youth Online

 

Group photo of Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande (left), Head of Public Policy, Anglophone West Africa, Connectivity and Innovation Policy Manager, Meta Africa, Mrs Sola Dada (middle) and DG NITDA's rep, Ag. Director, DLCB department, Dr Ahmed Tambuwal at the event

"The partnership aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda by promoting digital inclusion, economic growth and stronger cybersecurity." Inuwa

.... Says "developing a digitally skilled population that can safely navigate the online environment is essential for unlocking innovation, entrepreneurship, job creation and broader economic opportunities."

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has deepened its strategic partnership with Meta to strengthen online safety, digital literacy and trust among young Nigerians, unveiling fresh initiatives aimed at creating a safer and more inclusive digital ecosystem.

The renewed collaboration was announced at the Youth Safety Summit held in Abuja, where stakeholders from government, technology firms, civil society and the education sector gathered to chart a coordinated response to growing online safety challenges facing young internet users.

A major highlight of the summit was the launch of the Youth Online Safety Campaign and My Digital World (MDW) 2.0, developed by Meta in partnership with NITDA and the Federal Ministry of Youth Development.

Speaking at the event, NITDA Director-General, Kashifu Inuwa, represented by the Acting Director of Digital Literacy and Capacity Building, Dr Ahmed Tambuwal, said the partnership aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda by promoting digital inclusion, economic growth and stronger cybersecurity.

According to him, developing a digitally skilled population that can safely navigate the online environment is essential for unlocking innovation, entrepreneurship, job creation and broader economic opportunities.

He described the summit's theme, "Advancing Youth Online Safety Through Collaborative Action," as timely, stressing that protecting children and young people online requires collective efforts from government, technology companies, parents, educators and communities.

"While digital technologies have created unprecedented opportunities for learning, innovation, entrepreneurship and social connection, ensuring that young people can benefit from these opportunities safely is a shared responsibility," he said.

Inuwa maintained that digital literacy cannot be separated from online safety, noting that equipping citizens with digital skills without teaching them responsible and ethical online behaviour would leave the country's digital transformation agenda incomplete.

He explained that this philosophy underpins NITDA's National Digital Literacy Framework (NDLF) and its flagship Digital Literacy for All (DL4ALL) initiative, through which the agency aims to raise Nigeria's digital literacy rate to 70 per cent by 2027 and 95 per cent by 2030.

Under the framework, he said, online safety, digital citizenship, privacy protection, digital wellbeing, critical thinking and Artificial Intelligence (AI) literacy have been established as core competencies for Nigerians.

The NITDA boss also highlighted the growing impact of the agency's collaboration with Meta, describing it as a model for effective public-private partnership in advancing Nigeria's digital economy.

He disclosed that the Youth Online Safety and Wellbeing Campaign jointly implemented over the past year reached more than 94 million people and generated over 216 million impressions across Facebook and Instagram, providing millions of Nigerians with practical guidance on online safety, privacy protection, digital wellbeing and responsible internet use.

According to him, the partnership also extended to activities marking Safer Internet Day, during which members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) were trained to serve as advocates of responsible digital behaviour within their communities.

Inuwa expressed optimism over the launch of My Digital World 2.0, describing it as a strategic platform that would institutionalise online safety education within Nigeria's broader digital literacy ecosystem.

He revealed that NITDA plans to integrate the programme into its teacher capacity-building initiatives, strengthen support for its nationwide network of Digital Literacy Champions and expand awareness campaigns through partnerships with state governments, traditional institutions, faith-based organisations and community leaders.

"Our shared ambition should be to ensure that every Nigerian child is supported not only by safer digital platforms, but also by informed parents, empowered teachers and digitally confident communities," he said.

He added that the latest initiative represents more than the introduction of another programme, describing it as the beginning of a deeper collaboration between government and industry to produce a generation of Nigerians who are digitally skilled, responsible and resilient.

Inuwa reaffirmed NITDA's commitment to working with Meta and other stakeholders to build a secure and inclusive digital ecosystem where innovation thrives, opportunities are accessible to all and citizens can participate confidently in the digital economy.

Also speaking at the summit, the Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, and the Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, reaffirmed their ministries' commitment to collaborating with relevant stakeholders to formulate and implement policies that promote a safe, inclusive and enabling digital environment for young Nigerians. They stressed the need to equip children and youths with the knowledge and skills required to navigate the internet safely and responsibly.