Google has announced two child online safety initiatives in Nigeria, combining nationwide research into young people’s internet experiences with digital safety training for teachers, parents and caregivers.
The initiatives include a $600,000 support package from Google.org, Google’s philanthropic arm, to the TechSocietal Development Foundation, as well as the introduction of the Meet LEO (Learn and Explore Online) programme in Nigeria.
The announcements come amid growing concerns about online threats facing children, with recent public consultations conducted by the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) revealing that 93.5 per cent of Nigerians are worried about online harms affecting minors.
Under the Google.org-funded initiative, TechSocietal will conduct Nigeria’s first nationwide baseline study of youth digital risks, surveying 2,000 adolescents across the country’s six geopolitical zones.
The organisation will also deliver its Safety First curriculum to 5,000 teachers and school administrators, while training 200 community champions to reach up to 10,000 parents and caregivers.
The $600,000 support comprises $550,000 in direct funding and $50,000 in Google Ad Grants.
Google is also introducing Meet LEO to Nigeria in what will be the programme’s first pilot in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The initiative, to be delivered by Tech Hive Advisory across four states, will train 500 educators and youth leaders to help young people navigate the internet safely.
Participants will receive practical training on digital safety tools, including Google Family Link, SafeSearch and YouTube Supervised Experiences, and will be expected to extend the knowledge to another 2,500 students and community members.
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Speaking on the initiatives, Google’s Country Director for Nigeria, Olumide Balogun, said protecting children online should not prevent them from accessing the educational and developmental opportunities offered by the internet.
“It takes a village to raise a child, and today that village extends into the digital world, where protecting our children must never mean disconnecting them from their future,” he said.
Balogun said Google builds safety protections into its products by default, adding that its partnerships with TechSocietal and Tech Hive Advisory would combine local research with practical training to promote safer internet use among Nigerian children.
The National Commissioner of the NDPC, Dr Vincent Olatunji, described the initiatives as an important step towards creating a safer digital environment for children.
He said the commission’s recent national consultations showed that Nigerians were deeply concerned about the online risks facing young people.
“Protecting our children in the digital world requires active collaboration across government, technology platforms, educators, and families,” Olatunji said.
He commended Google’s support for nationwide research and grassroots digital safety training, noting that combining local evidence with practical digital skills would help children learn and explore online safely.
Similarly, Lead Partner at Tech Hive Advisory, Ridwan Oloyede, said the Meet LEO pilot would provide practical safety tools to 500 educators and youth leaders, with the knowledge expected to reach 2,500 additional learners.
The Executive Director of TechSocietal Development Foundation, Tope Ogundipe, said the Google.org support would enable the organisation to conduct the nationwide study of 2,000 adolescents and equip teachers and caregivers with digital safety skills.
He said the initiative would help strengthen the capacity of adults to guide young people in their use of digital platforms.
Google said the new commitments build on more than $3.5 million provided by Google.org for online safety programmes across Sub-Saharan Africa since 2020.
According to the company, its interventions have reached 2.3 million Nigerians through 10 local organisations, while more than 43,000 young people have received training through Junior Achievement Africa.
