SUSTAINABILITY

Child online protection

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Creating a Safer Digital Future for Africa’s Children

As digital connectivity expands across Africa, so too does our shared responsibility to ensure that children are safe, informed, and empowered in the online world. While the internet enables young people to learn, connect and grow, it also exposes them to rising threats that can compromise their rights and well-being. Addressing these challenges requires more than policy — it demands intentional collaboration, child-centred design, and decisive action.

MTN is actively contributing to the realisation of the African Union Child Online Safety and Empowerment Strategy by aligning our programmes, safeguards, and partnerships with its core principles. Our approach is rooted in protecting children from harm, amplifying their voices, and working with governments, industry, and civil society to create safe, inclusive digital ecosystems.

We continue to strengthen safeguards across our operations, including blocking access to known sources of child sexual abuse material through third-party tools, supporting law enforcement investigations, and offering confidential public reporting via the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) portal. In addition, we are deepening awareness and capacity by supporting digital literacy initiatives that equip parents, caregivers, and young users with the knowledge to navigate the online world safely.

But policies and programmes are most effective when shaped with — not just for — young people. That’s why we are committed to supporting platforms and campaigns that centre youth voices and lived experiences, while working with stakeholders to embed these perspectives in policy, education, and digital innovation.

MTN’s position on child online protection

position child online

GSMA Whitepaper: Protecting Children Online in Africa

Explore key insights from the GSMA-MTN Ministerial Roundtable on Child Online Protection (COP) in Sub-Saharan Africa, held at MWC 2025. The whitepaper highlights the urgent need to integrate COP into digital strategies, drawing on new research from MTN and Ipsos on youth online behaviour. It offers practical recommendations for governments, tech companies, and civil society to collaborate for a safer digital future.

Enhancing Child Online Protection in Sub-Saharan Africa

MTN Unveils Groundbreaking Research on Child Online Safety in Africa

As part of its Help Children Be Children initiative, MTN Group commissioned new research with IPSOS to better understand the online experiences of children in Nigeria, South Sudan, and Zambia. The findings reveal urgent challenges, including high levels of cyberbullying, exposure to harmful content, and rising mental health concerns among youth.

Online child safety: African Insights

Zambia Let Children Be Children

Nigeria Let Children be Children

South Sudan Let Children Be Children

Room of safety

MTV Base, Africa’s leading youth and pop culture platform, has partnered with MTN Group to launch Room of Safety — a bold new digital series created to raise awareness among young Africans about internet safety and responsible online behaviour.

Premiering on the 20th of July, the 10-part short-form series will air across MTV, MTV Base, and MTV’s social media platforms. Room of Safety features voices from Paramount’s Culture Squad alongside influential young African creators and content leaders. Together, they unpack online threats like cyberbullying, harmful content, and manipulative digital behaviours — all while equipping youth with the confidence and tools to take action.

One click can change a life. Let’s make it count — by choosing safety, speaking up, and staying informed.

Empowering Safer Online Spaces | MTN x MTV Base
Your online safety matters.

In partnership with MTV Base, MTN is proud to introduce Room of Safety — a bold new series created to raise awareness about online harm and empower young people to take control of their digital lives.
Ep 1: Why Internet Safety Matters | MTN x MTV Base
As children interact more with AI chatbots and virtual companions, risks like data collection, emotional over-reliance, and harmful content exposure are growing. Teaching kids to engage critically with these tools is key. This is why internet safety matters.
Ep 2: Recognising Cyberbullying | MTN x MTV Base
What feels like “just a joke” online can cut deep—especially for young people navigating self-esteem, identity and belonging in the digital age. The Room of Safety in partnership with MTV Base, forms part of our Help Children Be Children initiative, supporting young people to safely navigate today’s digital world. In the latest episode, young voices speak candidly about the emotional toll of cyberbullying—and the importance of setting digital boundaries.
Ep 3: Psychological impact of inappropriate influencing | MTN x MTV Base
In Episode 3 of The Room of Safety, Steezy, Azana and Lerai speak openly about how early exposure to explicit content affects how young people view sex, love and consent. Let’s protect young minds, spark real conversations and promote digital safety.
Ep 4: The pressure of likes, followers and affluent influencing | MTN x MTV Base
In this episode of Room of Safety, Melissa, Craig, and Steeze share personal experiences and urgent warnings about the emotional and personal toll of catfishing, online scams, and oversharing on social media. Melissa speaks on the darker side of online relationships, recalling recent cases where women in South Africa fell victim to catfishing with deadly consequences. Craig reflects on the false sense of security in “close friends” lists, and Steeze highlights how quickly personal information can fall into the wrong hands. The internet can connect young people to new communities—but it can also open doors to deceptive and dangerous individuals. Learn how to recognise red flags, protect your personal information, and navigate online spaces safely.
Ep 5: The pressure of likes | MTN x MTV Base
Social media can make us feel pressured to look perfect and chase likes. In Episode 5 of The Room of Safety, Foyin_OG, Mawelele, and YandaWoods share honest advice on staying confident, avoiding comparison, and embracing who you truly are.

Report Safely

Help Is Here: Reporting Platforms That Protect Children Across Africa

While the internet offers endless opportunities to learn, connect and grow, it can also be misused in ways that cause harm — especially to children. At MTN, through our Help Children Be Children programme and the Room of Safety campaign, we are committed to making digital spaces safer for Africa’s youth by ensuring that accessible, reliable support channels are available in every country.

Working in partnership with governments, law enforcement, civil society, and global experts like the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), we support a growing network of national and continental reporting platforms.

These platforms enable the public to confidentially and anonymously report child sexual abuse material (CSAM) or harmful online content — and in doing so, help protect children from further exploitation.

Make a report

Across Africa, support is available through:

  • Country-specific helplines and reporting portals managed by government agencies and local child protection partners;
  • The IWF Reporting Portal, accessible in multiple countries, which allows quick, anonymous reporting of suspected CSAM and works with international law enforcement to remove illegal content at source;
  • Child Helpline Africa, part of a global network offering children, parents and caregivers free access to guidance, referrals and psychosocial support;
  • Law enforcement-led initiatives, where our cooperation ensures perpetrators are investigated and held accountable under the law.

See something?

Say something. Report it today

Be part of building a safer internet for Africa’s children. See below for reporting platforms available in your country and across the continent.

Contacts in South Africa

Name About Website
Childline South Africa
24/7 helpline for children and adults concerned about children's well-being.
SADAG
Mental health support, suicide crisis, and anxiety helplines.
Name Childline South Africa
  • About

    24/7 helpline for children and adults concerned about children's well-being.
  • Website

    Childline South Africa
Name SADAG
  • About

    Mental health support, suicide crisis, and anxiety helplines.
  • Website

    SADAG

Contacts in Nigeria

Name About Website
Cece Yara Foundation
Provides child helpline and support services to report abuse and seek help.
HDI Child Helpline
Offers assistance and protection services for children in distress.
Name Cece Yara Foundation
  • About

    Provides child helpline and support services to report abuse and seek help.
  • Website

    Cece Yara Foundation
Name HDI Child Helpline
  • About

    Offers assistance and protection services for children in distress.
  • Website

    HDI Child Helpline

Contacts in Ghana

Name About Website
Cyber Security Authority
National authority responsible for cyber safety and digital protection of children.
IWF reporting Portal
Anonymous CSAM reporting platform supported by IWF.
Helpline of Hope
Provides support for children facing abuse or distress.
Name Cyber Security Authority
  • About

    National authority responsible for cyber safety and digital protection of children.
  • Website

    Cyber Security Authority
Name IWF reporting Portal
Name Helpline of Hope
  • About

    Provides support for children facing abuse or distress.
  • Website

    Helpline of Hope

Contacts in Cameroon

Name About Website
IWF Reporting Portal
Anonymous CSAM reporting platform supported by IWF.
Child Helpline Cameroon
Provides helpline services for children across Cameroon.
Name IWF Reporting Portal
Name Child Helpline Cameroon

Contacts in Benin

Name About Website
IWF Reporting Portal
Anonymous CSAM reporting platform supported by IWF.
Child Helpline Benin
Provides child support and reporting helpline in Benin.
Name IWF Reporting Portal
Name Child Helpline Benin

Contacts in Côte d'Ivoire

Name About Website
IWF Reporting Portal
Anonymous CSAM reporting platform supported by IWF.
Child Helpline Côte d'Ivoire
Provides assistance and reporting services for children in distress.
Name IWF Reporting Portal
Name Child Helpline Côte d'Ivoire

Contacts in Liberia

Name About Website
My voice, my safety Liberia
Offers child protection services and a national helpline.
Name My voice, my safety Liberia

Contacts in Congo-Brazzaville

Name About Website
IWF Reporting Portal
Anonymous CSAM reporting platform supported by IWF
Name IWF Reporting Portal

Contacts in Rwanda

Name About Website
Child Helpline Rwanda
Child support and protection services including abuse reporting.
Name Child Helpline Rwanda

Contacts in Sudan

Name About Website
Child Helpline Sudan
Provides support for vulnerable children facing online or offline abuse.
Name Child Helpline Sudan
  • About

    Provides support for vulnerable children facing online or offline abuse.
  • Website

    Child Helpline Sudan

Contacts in South Sudan

Name About Website
IWF Reporting Portal
Anonymous CSAM reporting platform supported by IWF
Name IWF Reporting Portal

Contacts in Uganda

Name About Website
Child Helpline Uganda
Counseling and reporting helpline for children in Uganda.
Name Child Helpline Uganda

Contacts in Eswatini

Name About Website
Child Helpline Eswatini
Support helpline for children facing distress or abuse.
Name Child Helpline Eswatini

Contacts in Zambia

Name About Website
Childline Zambia
Counseling and support services for children in need.
IWF reporting Portal
Anonymous CSAM reporting platform supported by IWF.
Name Childline Zambia
  • About

    Counseling and support services for children in need.
  • Website

    Childline Zambia
Name IWF reporting Portal

Contacts in Africa-wide

Name About Website
IWF-MTN Child Safety Portal
Continental reporting portal for CSAM linked to IWF.
Child Helpline International
Network of national child helplines operating across Africa.
Name IWF-MTN Child Safety Portal
Name Child Helpline International

Information

Empowering Safe Digital Journeys for Youth

In today’s fast-evolving digital world, young people are growing up in an environment where AI companions, social platforms, and constant connectivity shape how they learn, connect, and explore their identities. As these technologies become more embedded in daily life, the importance of equipping youth—and those who support them—with the tools to stay safe online cannot be overstated.
  
Creating safe digital spaces starts with access to information, open and healthy conversations, and cross-generational collaboration. Whether you’re a young person making sense of the online world, a caregiver supporting a child, or a law enforcement officer responding to digital threats, the resources below are designed to provide practical, accessible guidance to help protect and empower youth across Africa and beyond.

Why Internet Safety Matters 

As children increasingly interact with AI-driven chatbots and virtual companions, new risks are emerging. These tools may appear helpful or entertaining, but they often collect and process personal information—such as interests, emotions, and behavioural patterns—without full transparency. This can lead to emotional over-reliance, manipulation, or unintended exposure to harmful content.

Understanding how AI systems work, and helping children engage critically and cautiously, is essential.
 
UNICEF: How to Keep Your Child Safe Online
Offers clear, practical suggestions for caregivers on setting boundaries, managing screen time, and encouraging open conversations.

AI and Children’s Rights

Unicef: AI and Children’s Rights
Outlines how AI can influence children’s rights, privacy, and mental health, with guidance for families and policymakers.

Recognising Cyberbullying

Online interactions can sometimes blur the line between playful teasing and harmful behaviour. For young people, learning to identify the signs of cyberbullying—such as exclusion, persistent mockery, or threatening messages—is crucial. Equally important is knowing how to respond, when to speak up, and who to turn to for help.

UNICEF: Cyberbullying – What It Is and How to Stop It
Explains the forms cyberbullying can take and provides tools for recognising and dealing with it early.

Psychological Impact of Inappropriate Influencing

Children are often exposed to violent, sexual, or otherwise age-inappropriate content online—sometimes by accident, sometimes through manipulation. Such experiences can influence their mental health, worldview, and self-perception, particularly if they are not given the opportunity to process what they’ve seen in a safe, trusted space.

UNICEF: Drawing the Line in Digital Spaces
A report that explores how youth experience digital spaces and how caregivers and mentors can help them set healthy boundaries.

UNICEF: Digital Wellbeing Guide
Shares tips to promote emotional balance, healthy screen habits, and supportive relationships.

The Pressure of Likes, Followers, and Affluent Influencing

Social media can be a powerful tool for expression—but it can also create intense pressure to conform, perform, and constantly compare. Helping young people build digital resilience and media literacy is key to countering these pressures.

UNICEF: Drawing the Line in Digital Spaces
A report that explores how youth experience digital spaces and how caregivers and mentors can help them set healthy boundaries.

UNICEF: Digital Wellbeing Guide
Shares tips to promote emotional balance, healthy screen habits, and supportive relationships.

Protecting Your Privacy 

Oversharing online is a common risk for young users. Teaching digital consent, privacy awareness, and critical thinking about what is shared online is a shared responsibility.

UNICEF: Privacy Checklist for Parents
A printable guide for parents to review essential safety checks with their children.

ICMEC: Digital Safety Resource Hub
Provides printable tip sheets and learning tools for preventing early exposure to harmful content.

Mental Health and Social Media

Being constantly connected can take an emotional toll on young people—leading to fatigue, stress, and burnout. Encouraging mental wellness, setting digital boundaries, and creating safe offline spaces are all part of building emotional resilience.

UNICEF: Digital Wellbeing Guide
Shares tips to promote emotional balance, healthy screen habits, and supportive relationships.

Child Helpline International: Resources
A hub of guides for responding to online abuse and mental health crises, tailored for caregivers and child protection professionals.

Catfishing, Online Scams, and Real-Life Dangers

The internet can connect young people to new communities, but it can also open doors to deceptive and dangerous individuals. Catfishing, scams, and grooming often begin with fake identities and false trust. Recognising red flags early and knowing how to report or exit unsafe interactions is key to preventing real-world harm.

ICMEC: Digital Safety Resource Hub
Provides printable tip sheets and learning tools for preventing early exposure to harmful content.

UNICEF: Child Safety Online
Highlights real-world challenges and strategies for supporting children after exposure to disturbing content.

Being a Digital Ally

Creating safer digital spaces is a collective effort. Whether you’re a friend, sibling, teacher, or parent, being a digital ally means standing up against harmful behaviour, supporting those affected, and modelling kindness online. Small actions like listening, sharing safety tips, or simply checking in can make a powerful difference.

IWF: Talk, Trust, Empower (PDF)
Offers practical conversation starters and behavioural cues to help families build trust and digital safety skills.

ICMEC: KidzLive Interactive Booklet (PDF)
A colourful, interactive booklet that teaches younger children to protect themselves using stories and activities.

Power of Reporting, Blocking and Parental Control

Creating safer digital spaces is a collective effort. Whether you’re a friend, sibling, teacher, or parent, being a digital ally means standing up against harmful behaviour, supporting those affected, and modelling kindness online. Small actions like listening, sharing safety tips, or simply checking in can make a powerful difference.

Child Helpline: Tips for Helping a Child in Crisis
Offers brief, actionable advice for parents and professionals supporting children facing online abuse or emotional distress.

UNICEF: How to Keep Your Child Safe Online
Offers clear, practical suggestions for caregivers on setting boundaries, managing screen time, and encouraging open conversations.

Pledging – Taking a Stand for Online Safety 

Change begins with commitment. By pledging to be more aware, responsible, and supportive online, young people and adults alike take a vital step toward restoring trust and dignity in digital spaces. Standing together—across generations and communities—we can shape a safer internet for everyone.

Unicef: AI and Children’s Rights
Outlines how AI can influence children’s rights, privacy, and mental health, with guidance for families and policymakers.

UNICEF: Child Safety Online
Highlights real-world challenges and strategies for supporting children after exposure to disturbing content.

Download tips

Digital tips for parents

DigiSmart poster

Digital tips for children

Digital age guide