On Thursday, August 28, 2025, the MTN Nigeria Help Children Be Children (HCBC) campaign hosted a hybrid event at the MTN Rooftop in Ikoyi to address the pressing issue of child online safety. The hybrid event, attended by regulators, parents, educators, caregivers, tech platforms, NGOs, and young people, spotlighted the realities of child online safety while promoting healthier digital behaviour.
In his strategic overview, Ikenna Ikeme, General Manager, Regulatory Affairs at MTN Nigeria, framed the initiative within MTN’s broader digital inclusion agenda. “The internet is an incredible tool, but children need protection as much as access. At MTN, our goal is to connect people in ways that are safe, smart, and empowering. We are proud to be one of Africa’s leading tech brands, but more importantly, a responsible one. We build technology platforms second to none, but we also make sure that inclusion and responsibility are at the heart of everything we do,” Ikeme said.
Joining virtually, Monde Twala, Senior Vice President & GM, Paramount Africa, highlighted the impact of the MTV Base Room of Safety video series, a youth-led collaboration between MTN and MTV Base. “Young people need spaces to speak honestly about their online realities. Room of Safety amplifies their voices, and we’re proud to partner with MTN on this important mission.”
The results from the 2024 study commissioned by MTN and conducted by Ipsos were presented by Marcus Hollington, Associate Service Line Director at the Africa Centre for Development Research & Evaluation. The results revealed that over 30% of Nigerian teens between 13 and 17 had met strangers offline after first connecting online, underscoring the urgent need for digital literacy and parental involvement.
Two episodes from the Room of Safety series, “Why Internet Safety Matters” and “The Pressure of Likes, Followers, and Influencers,” were screened, followed by an empowerment session led by Blessing Ashi-Bamidele, Head of Programs at Tech4Dev, who emphasised the importance of equipping children with digital skills, not just warnings.
The Youth Realities Panel, featuring Rhoda Adebonojo, Akindele Emmanuel, Anekwu Precious Ufedo, and Dorasimi Destiny Nadi, brought the conversation to life with personal stories of peer pressure, online image struggles, and navigating harmful content.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) participated in the event, with NCC representatives present and sharing downloadable educational materials on child online safety, highlighting the importance of regulatory involvement in safeguarding children online.
The event concluded with reflections from Adekemi Adisa, General Manager, Sustainability & Shared Value at MTN Nigeria, who emphasised that online safety is a shared responsibility. Protecting young people online is a duty for parents, regulators, platforms, and the wider community,” she noted, highlighting the importance of collaboration across all sectors to create a safer digital environment for children and youth.
With over 150 in-person attendees and nearly 200 joining online, the campaign reinforced MTN Nigeria’s commitment to being more than just a network, positioning itself as a purpose-driven brand that advocates for a safer, more human-centred digital future for Nigerian youth.
