Victims of technology-facilitated violence in Nigeria are spending as much as ₦50,000 to ₦100,000 in pursuit of justice, while many others suffer severe psychological, social and economic consequences, TechHer survey has revealed.

The findings were unveiled during the National Policy Dialogue on Rights, Justice and Digital Safety in Nigeria, held in Abuja, marking the launch of “Toxic Tech”, a nationwide study supported by Luminate, which surveyed more than 370 respondents across Nigeria to document the prevalence, patterns and impact of technology-facilitated violence.

The report revealed that online violence is no longer merely a digital concern but one with devastating offline consequences, affecting victims’ mental health, livelihoods, public participation and access to justice.

Delivering the keynote address, the Associate, Africa at Luminate, Tari Wills, warned that technology has amplified existing social inequalities instead of eliminating them.

“As we see from the stories shared today, online harms have an effect on lives offline,” she said.

According to Wills, the people who were historically marginalised before the digital age now face even greater risks because technology platforms often amplify harmful narratives.

“To move the needle in the right direction, ensuring access to and safety on tech platforms, we must all come together to ensure that human rights are respected and people are prioritised over profit,” she said.

She urged governments, civil society organisations and technology companies to collaborate rather than work in isolation, noting that protecting citizens online must not come at the expense of fundamental rights such as freedom of expression and access to information.

Presenting highlights of the report, Gbemisola Adebowale, Women’s Digital Rights and Safety Officer at TechHer, said the research exposed the disproportionate burden borne by women with disabilities and queer women in digital spaces.

She explained that 90.5 per cent of queer women surveyed reported experiencing technology-facilitated gender-based violence, while many respondents from disability communities also faced persistent cyber harassment, impersonation, doxxing and online abuse.

Adebowale noted that beyond emotional trauma, survivors often suffer economic losses because fear of online attacks discourages them from conducting businesses or participating fully in digital spaces.

The report further found that more than half of victims who reported abuse to social media platforms received little or no response, exposing major accountability gaps among technology companies.

Another troubling finding showed that survivors seeking justice frequently spend between ₦50,000 and ₦100,000—an amount many described as unaffordable, especially when compared with Nigeria’s minimum wage.

Head of Programmes at TechHer, Peter Akinusi, said the report represents the culmination of nearly five years of research into online violence and digital safety.

“We believe that online violence has offline consequences,” Akinusi said.

He explained that the research sought to identify who suffers online abuse, how it manifests and what practical actions government, technology companies and civil society must take to improve protection and accountability.

“We live in a world where almost everybody depends on digital technology. Everyone should be able to access the internet safely,” he added.

According to him, the report recommends stronger policy frameworks, better implementation of existing regulations, improved platform accountability and digital systems that are inclusive of persons with disabilities.

Executive Director of the Inclusive Friends Association (IFA), Grace Jerry, described the report as an important step towards recognising the unique forms of online violence experienced by women and girls with disabilities.

She said many victims are unaware that discriminatory and ableist language constitutes abuse, making digital literacy an urgent priority.

“You cannot address issues around violence if you do not involve the communities that are most affected,” she said.

Jerry called for stronger partnerships, inclusive policies and targeted interventions that would enable women with disabilities to identify abuse, report perpetrators and obtain justice.

Representing the British High Commission, Matthew Backrow, Governance Adviser, stressed that comprehensive policy frameworks remain the foundation for digital safety.

“We have to ensure that we have foundational policies that everybody can come around to ensure that vulnerable people have the protections they need to engage in digital spaces like everybody else,” he said.

Similarly, Matthew Mountain, representative of the UK National Crime Agency and the British High Commission, emphasised that effective law enforcement depends on sound public policy.

“Policy underpins everything that we do in terms of law enforcement and protecting innocent victims of crime,” Mountain said.

He added that stronger reporting mechanisms would enable law enforcement agencies to identify perpetrators more effectively and deliver justice to victims.

Mountain also observed that the level of reported technology-enabled gender-based violence presented during the dialogue was higher than he had anticipated, suggesting that online abuse remains significantly underreported.

Chairman of TechHer’s Advisory Board, Dayo Olaide, commended the organisation for evolving from a simple idea into a respected institution driving research, advocacy and community engagement on digital rights.

He said building a broad community of stakeholders, rather than relying on one organisation, remains essential to addressing the growing challenge of online harm.

Participants agreed that while Nigeria has made progress in expanding digital access, insufficient safeguards continue to expose vulnerable groups to harassment, intimidation, identity theft, cyberbullying and other forms of online abuse.

The dialogue concluded with renewed calls for stronger collaboration among government institutions, technology companies, civil society organisations and development partners to transform the findings of the Toxic Tech report into practical policy reforms that will make Nigeria’s digital space safer, more inclusive and more accountable. (Guardian)

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