Country · Africa
Nigeria: cyberbullying law for schools
Bottom line for counselors: The law sets some anti-bullying rules but leaves much of the detail to schools, and online bullying is covered. Check your school's own policy. There is no takedown regulator, so report harmful posts to the platform. Serious online abuse can be a crime.
Last verified: checked against official sources on 11 November 2026.
Country
Nigeria
A national anti-bullying policy for all schools since 2025 covers cyberbullying, and cyberstalking is a crime.
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One point for each of the seven questions answered yes, half a point for partly. Where a rule is set nationally, the national answer counts. A quick guide, not a legal rating.
- Partly:
Do schools have to have anti-bullying rules?
Partly. There is no anti-bullying statute, but the National Policy on Anti-Bullying in Nigerian Schools, adopted by the National Council on Education in February 2025, applies to all public and private schools and non-formal learning centres.
Legal detail and sources
Students who bully can face sanctions from suspension to expulsion. The 2021 National Policy on Safety, Security and Violence-Free Schools also applies.
- UNESCO: National Policy on Anti-Bullying in Nigerian Schools and its Implementation Guidelines (2025) (opens in a new tab)
- National Council on Education communiqué adopting the anti-bullying policy (6 February 2025) (opens in a new tab)
- Voice of Nigeria: government steps up enforcement of the anti-bullying policy (opens in a new tab)
- Yes:
Do those rules cover online bullying?
Yes. The 2025 policy names cyberbullying through harmful online posts as a form of bullying.
Legal detail and sources
Source note: this answer draws on news reporting (News Central), not an official legal text. Check the official text before relying on it.
- No:
Is there a regulator that can get harmful posts taken down?
No online safety regulator that orders removal of bullying content.
- No:
Is there a minimum age for social media?
No legal minimum age for social media.
- No:
What are the rules on phones at school?
No national rule. States and schools set their own phone rules.
- Yes:
When is online abuse a crime?
Yes. Cyberstalking, including bullying, threatening or harassing someone online, is a crime under section 24 of the Cybercrimes Act, as amended in February 2024.
Legal detail and sources
Critics say section 24 is too vague and has been used against journalists. Source note: this answer relies on legal commentary or other non-official summaries (Mondaq and Techhive Advisory), not an official legal text. Check the official text before relying on it.
- Yes:
What guidance do staff and counselors get?
Yes. The policy comes with implementation guidelines, and the Federal Ministry of Education runs sensitisation workshops for teachers and students.
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