As the world celebrates this year’s 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence (GBV), from November 25 to December 10, with the theme: ‘UNITE to end digital violence against all women and girls’, a non-governmental organization (NGO), FAME Foundation, has called for a campaign against and an end to digital and gender-based violence, saying that victims deserve justice.
This was stated by the Executive Director of FAME Foundation, Arabinrin Aderonke Atoyebi, while briefing journalists as part of activities to commemorate gender-based violence on Tuesday in Abuja.
While calling on victims to speak out against abuses and help create safe digital spaces, Atoyebi charged government, stakeholders, media, civil societies, technology companies, communities, men and boys to amplify and condemn digital and gender-based violence by supporting survivors.
Describing digital violence as a growing problem in Nigeria, she said girls and women are experiencing online harassment, cyberbullying, abusive messages and other forms of digital abuse, adding that incidents often go unreported, leaving victims feeling isolated, unsafe and unheard.
Atoyebi said about 68.9 million Nigerians, half of whom are women, face online abuse, including cyberbullying, scams, impersonation and sexual exploitation. Going further, it stated that 97% of children have experienced some form of sexual exploitation online and 89% have received unwanted sexual requests or content.
He said: “According to Gatefield’s State of Online Harms 2025 report, around 68.9 million Nigerians face online abuse, including cyberbullying, scams, phishing and child sexual exploitation. More than half of these victims are women, demonstrating how digital abuse often targets women more.
“The same report, based on data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), found that 97% of children have experienced some form of sexual exploitation online and 89% have received unwanted sexual content or requests.
“In Nigeria there is also a growing problem of private videos or images being shared online without consent. When this happens, victims face public ridicule, harassment and damage to their reputation. This type of abuse can ruin lives, force people to go offline and make women and girls afraid to speak or participate in online spaces.”
He called for implementation and enforcement of the Cyber Crimes Act 2015 and the Prohibition of Violence Against Persons Act to control digital and gender-based violence and reduce it to a minimum.
“Although Nigeria has laws such as the Cybercrimes Act of 2015 and the Prohibition of Violence Against Persons Act, their implementation remains inconsistent and many survivors do not report out of fear, stigma or distrust in the system,” he added.
Corroborating Atoyebi’s view, Program Director and Project Assistant, Kemisola Ibitoye and Jeffrey Edung respectively, said the Foundation last year launched the Femicide Tracker to monitor cases of violence and report to higher authorities such as the Ministry of Women Affairs and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for follow-up, especially when such cases go beyond what the organization can handle.
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