By Emmanuella Opara | October 23rd 2026
KEY POINTS
- A coalition of civil society organisations has called for stronger media partnerships to protect women and other citizens from online violence ahead of the 2027 elections.
- The groups provide legal aid, psychosocial support and assistance with removing harmful online content.
- They urged journalists to avoid amplifying abusive content and adopt gender-sensitive reporting practices.
- The coalition also called for greater accountability from technology platforms over digital rights violations.
MAIN STORY
A coalition of civil society organisations has urged the media to strengthen efforts to combat online violence against women and protect digital rights ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
The coalition made the call at a media hangout in Abuja on Friday, where representatives of Digital Africa Research and Safety Lab, DigiCivic Initiative and TechHer discussed ways to improve online safety, hold technology platforms accountable and protect citizens from digital intimidation.
Rosemary Ajayi, Executive Director of Digital Africa Research and Safety Lab, said the organisations wanted to ensure that people could participate in online spaces without fear of harassment or attacks.
She questioned how journalists could report safely, women could contest elections without intimidation and citizens could register to vote without fear of harm in digital spaces. She also called for greater accountability from technology companies, including Meta and X, over harmful activities on their platforms.
Ajayi said the organisations provided psychosocial support, legal assistance and platform engagement for victims of digital harassment.
She added that they pooled evidence to challenge alleged regulatory violations, citing cases involving technology companies that reportedly ran paid campaigns within the 24-hour restriction period before the 2023 elections.
According to her, digital violence also involves targeted attacks against women in politics, public figures and their families, including their spouses and children. She cited the prolonged online targeting of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan as an example.
Gbemisola Adebowale, Women’s Digital Rights and Safety Officer at TechHer, said digital platforms and artificial intelligence could be used to intimidate female candidates, silence their voices and discourage political participation.
Adebowale said TechHer operated Kuram, a chatbot that receives reports of technology-facilitated gender-based violence, including cyber harassment, doxxing and the non-consensual sharing of intimate images.
She said the organisation also worked with Meta and TikTok to facilitate the removal of harmful content and connected survivors with volunteer lawyers across Nigeria’s 36 states.
Adebowale added that women politicians, journalists and other prominent women faced targeted online attacks, including body shaming and threats to release fabricated or intimate images, in attempts to push them out of public spaces.
She urged journalists to adopt gender-sensitive reporting ahead of the elections, noting that women occupied fewer than six per cent of political positions in Nigeria.
Adebowale also warned that the monetisation of social media could create incentives for harmful online attacks and called for measures to protect female candidates from digital intimidation.
“We need to look at how these women who are coming out, these women who are in the public space, how the internet is being weaponised against them.
“Social media, our culture is being used to quieten them using social media as a vehicle. And what is our role as journalists and people who report this news?” she asked.
Ifiokobong Uko, Programme Assistant at DigiCivic Initiative, said the organisation focused on protecting fundamental human rights guaranteed under Chapter Four of the Nigerian Constitution, including freedom of expression and association.
He said digital rights violations went beyond misinformation and disinformation to include abuses by government agencies and other institutions.
Uko said DigiCivic Initiative was developing an artificial intelligence-powered tool to collect evidence from journalists and other online users and cross-reference reported violations with relevant legal provisions.
He added that the organisation supported people whose digital rights had allegedly been violated by individuals, institutions or government agencies, provided they could supply evidence of the violations.
The coalition urged journalists to avoid amplifying harmful content by sharing or reposting it, even when condemning the material. It also encouraged media practitioners to document evidence using accessible digital tools to support their reports against possible intimidation.
The organisations further advised journalists to verify information, avoid reporting practices that could violate digital rights and explain complex technical issues in simple, relatable language.
THE ISSUES
Online harassment and technology-facilitated gender-based violence can discourage women from participating in politics and other public activities. The coalition warned that targeted abuse, threats and the circulation of fabricated or intimate images could be used to silence women and undermine their public engagement.
The concerns also extend to the responsibilities of technology companies and media organisations. While platforms are being urged to address harmful content, journalists are being encouraged to report digital violence without further spreading the material or exposing victims to additional harm.
WHAT’S BEING SAID
“Can a journalist do the reporting work safely? Can a woman contest for office safely? Can you register to vote safely without intimidation, without fear or any harms from the digital space?” Rosemary Ajayi, Executive Director of Digital Africa Research and Safety Lab, asked.
“We need to look at how these women who are coming out, these women who are in the public space, how the internet is being weaponised against them,” Gbemisola Adebowale, Women’s Digital Rights and Safety Officer at TechHer, said.
WHAT’S NEXT
The coalition is seeking sustained partnerships with media organisations ahead of the 2027 general elections to strengthen digital accountability and protect citizens’ rights online. Its recommendations include gender-sensitive reporting, responsible handling of abusive content, evidence-based reporting and continued engagement with technology platforms.
BOTTOM LINE
The coalition wants journalists and technology companies to play a stronger role in preventing online violence, protecting women’s political participation and safeguarding digital rights ahead of the 2027 elections.
