*Nigerian children risk dangerous relationships as social media becomes a source of fame, income *Nigeria’s digital creators’ eye $17.8bn market by 2030
By Juliet Umeh
For many Nigerian children and teenagers, social media is no longer simply a place to chat, watch skits or share photographs. It is a classroom, marketplace, entertainment centre and, increasingly, a possible route to fame and income.
But behind the likes, followers and viral videos is another reality- scams, exploitation, cyberbullying, privacy violations, pressure to perform and dangerous relationships with strangers met online.
Nigeria’s digital population is expanding rapidly. DataReportal’s Digital 2026: Nigeria report, published November 8, 2025, estimated 109 million internet users at the end of 2025 and 47.8 million social-media user identities in October 2025, representing 20 percent of the population.
When opportunity becomes a trap
For 19-year-old Nnaemeka Umunna, the internet was supposed to make life easier, but a scammer taught him a lesson in a hard way.
“I said no, I can do it by myself. There’s nothing there. Let me use this one to learn,” Nnaemeka recalled.
He said he searched Google for a flight-booking service and contacted a number he found on WhatsApp. After collecting his personal details, the supposed agent sent him a private bank account to make payment.
“I paid N32,000, but the booking confirmation never came. The agent eventually stopped responding. I reported the matter to my bank, but I could not recover my money,” he said.
For university undergraduate Adebayo Jimoh, according to someone familiar with his lifestyle, the internet has also influenced his perception of success. The source alleged that Jimoh engages in internet fraud and, whenever he “cashes out”, spends heavily on food and other things he does not need.
“He knows another one will come,” the source said.
The creator economy and pressure to perform
Communiqué and TM Global, Africa Creator Economy Report 2.0: The Business of Creativity- Funding and Sustaining African Creators, January 2026 noted that Nigeria’s online content-creator market was valued at about $3.1 billion and could reach $17.8 billion by 2030. More than half of African content creators earn less than $100 a month,
The road to monetisation is uncertain, increasing pressure to remain visible and post personal or risky content.
And when attention becomes the currency, privacy can become the price.
UNICEF has warned that photographs, videos and comments can create lasting privacy and safety risks for children.
When admiration becomes dangerous
In June 2025, 19-year-old Ibrahim Abubakar travelled from Adamawa to Kano to meet TikTok personality Abdul B.K., whom he admired. When the meeting did not happen, Abubakar climbed a billboard at Gadan Lado Bridge and threatened to take his own life if the TikToker did not appear. Police, firefighters and other security personnel intervened and brought him down safely.
The incident demonstrated how powerful a digital relationship can become. For some young followers, an influencer can become a friend or role model.
That connection becomes more dangerous when an online relationship moves offline.
20-year-old Favour Agbro brought that concern into sharp focus in 2026. According to the Delta State Police Command, Agbro travelled to Asaba on June 1, 2026, after content creator Ifeanyi Ogbonna, popularly known as “Odogwu of Asaba”, allegedly invited her for content-creation training and promised to help her monetise her social-media platforms. Police later arrested Ogbonna over allegations connected to Agbro’s death.
Agbro’s case carries a painful lesson: a popular account is not necessarily a safe account, and an offer of mentorship does not automatically make the person trustworthy.
Public Relations and Communications Strategist Barnabas Akindele said social media could give young people recognition, belonging and identity, but warned against allowing online attention to determine self-worth.
PR and Media Relations Expert Justice Winner said aspiring influencers are vulnerable to fake endorsements, modelling opportunities and promises of access, stressing that parents, schools, platforms and brands must share responsibility for safer participation in the digital economy for young Nigerians seeking safer livelihoods.
The hidden mental-health burden
The pressure is not always physical. Young creators can become trapped in the pursuit of likes, comments, followers and viral relevance.
UNICEF and GSMA have identified cyberbullying, exploitation, harmful content and other threats among the risks facing children as Africa’s digital population grows.
The child may be online while sitting at home
A child may communicate with strangers, experience cyberbullying on WhatsApp or receive an attractive but fraudulent collaboration offer.
UNICEF recommends open communication, clear boundaries and an environment in which children can report uncomfortable online experiences without fear of punishment.
A child who believes, “If I tell my mother, she will help me,” is potentially safer than one who thinks, “If I tell my parents, they will seize my phone.”
Connection before correction
The answer cannot simply be to ban children from the internet.
Children need to know how to identify scams, grooming, sextortion, cyberbullying and fake opportunities.
They should ask: Who is this person? What do they want? Why are they asking for money? Why do they want secrecy? Why must I meet them alone?
On October 22, 2025, UNICEF and GSMA launched the Africa Taskforce on Child Online Protection, bringing together governments, technology companies, regulators, law enforcement, civil society and young people to strengthen children’s safety, rights and wellbeing online.
The school gate has moved
Today, the school gate has moved into the bedroom.
A stranger can enter a child’s life without knocking on the family door. An influencer can become a role model without ever meeting the child. A fraudulent vendor can take money through a phone. A scammer can build trust through WhatsApp.
It is to prepare children for the world they are already entering.
Parents need digital literacy. Schools need stronger online-safety education. Platforms must respond more effectively to abuse, fraud and exploitation. Regulators need effective child-protection frameworks. Children need safe channels for reporting problems.
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