Government needs to step up efforts to protect Nigerians online by taking several measures including the review of the nation’s security infrastructure, according to TechHer, a community of women in technology.
Akwuegbo reveals that in the first year of operating Kuram, the group’s data aggregation and online gender-based violence response platform, the service received 15 cases. “However, since May 2024, we have been averaging 4 cases a week, indicating a 70% increase in online violence. Nigeria cannot overlook these numbers.”
TechHer: Nigeria cannot overlook rising online violence
Chioma Agwuegbo, TechHer’s executive director, who made the call at a press conference to mark the group’s sixth anniversary, wants the Nigerian government to make efforts to protect citizens and the nation’s future.
“As we celebrate this significant milestone,” she says, “it is impossible to ignore the rising insecurity in our nation. From the abduction of 20 medical student, increased online violence and criminality, to the recent alleged cyber attack on a major Nigerian bank, there is urgent need to review our online and offline security infrastructure and re-strategise to protect lives and property.”
TechHer’s Akwuegbo, who cites Meta’s recent deactivation of over 68,000 Instagram accounts from Nigerians that were associated with sextortion scams further speak on the impact that online violence has on women and girls.
Akwuegbo reveals that in the first year of operating Kuram, the group’s data aggregation and online gender-based violence response platform, the service received 15 cases. “However, since May 2024, we have been averaging 4 cases a week, indicating a 70% increase in online violence. Nigeria cannot overlook these numbers.”
Akwuego added that these concerns have led TechHer to take steps to prioritise comprehensive security for women and girls for its sixth anniversary.
In honour of the occasion, she says, TechHer has organised a weeklong celebration that includes a virtual training session with PLAN International focusing on security and situational awareness guidelines for Human Rights Defenders (HRDs). The workshop aims to empower HRDs with important skills to navigate increasingly volatile environments. A physical self-defense course will round up the week’s events, giving participants the tools they need to defend themselves in everyday situations.
“This celebration goes beyond marking another year; it’s about reinforcing our dedication to safety, awareness, and empowerment for all women and girls in our community.” During this event, the organization as a whole assures that it will remain committed to its mission of leveraging technology as a powerful tool to drive social change and advance women and girls,” Akwuegbo says.
About TechHer
TechHer is a community for women who use technology to study, share, and collaborate. It also promotes entrepreneurship and offers fundamental assistance to women who want to start their businesses. TechHer has been involved in a few beneficial projects, such as Digital literacy. The group organized school tours and used local playing cards to introduce technology to children in local education authority schools.
“Our work has engaged over 1,200 students in 19 secondary schools in peri-urban areas and is currently building relationships with universities nationwide,” TechHer says. Through its various initiatives such as tech for governance, states of emergency GBV and Kuram which is derived from a Tiv phrase that means “keep me safe”, its projects are designed to curb online gender-based violence. TechHer envisions a future where every Nigerian can thrive in a secure environment.
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