A Bill for an Act to provide for the enactment of Child Online Access Protection and other Issues of Online Violence Against the Nigerian Child has successfully passed its third reading in the House of Representatives.

The bill, which was sponsored by Rep. Olumide Osoba (APC-Ogun) and Rep. Babajimi Benson (APC-Lagos), received a majority vote following the adoption of a report on the bill by the Committee on Justice.

The Committee on Justice’s report highlighted the urgent need to curb rising cases of online abuse, exploitation and exposure of children to harmful digital content. The report also provided an enhanced legal framework to ensure a safer digital environment for minors, especially as technology becomes increasingly integrated into everyday life.

The bill mandates stronger protections, clearer responsibilities for digital service providers, and improved mechanisms for reporting and preventing online harms. The report states that said the passage of the bill demonstrates the National Assembly’s commitment to the safety, well-being, and digital protection of Nigerian children.

The report states that parents and guardians, can be reassured that proactive measured are being taken to shield children from the dangers that lurk online. The House unanimously agreed that existing laws were no longer sufficient to tackle the evolving threats children face on the internet.

The bill will now be transmitted to the Senate for concurrence. Once the Senate passes it, it will then be transmitted to the President for assent before becoming law.