Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has called on the Nigerian government to ban the use of social media by children under the age of sixteen.

Falana made the call in Lagos while speaking at the maiden edition of the Dare2Debate competition, an event aimed at promoting leadership and critical thinking among secondary school students.

According to him, unrestricted access to social media exposes children to serious risks, including cyberbullying, misinformation, and harmful content. He urged Nigerian authorities to take proactive steps to protect young people, noting that other countries have already introduced age restrictions on social media use.

The senior advocate cited Australia as an example of a country that has moved to regulate children’s access to digital platforms, stressing that Nigeria should adopt similar measures in the interest of child welfare.

Falana also spoke on broader national issues, including the impact of poverty, unemployment, and weak educational structures on young people, while emphasizing the need for policies that safeguard the future of Nigerian children.

He concluded by calling for stronger collaboration between government, parents, and educational institutions to guide and protect children in the digital age.