GSMA Urges Unified Action to Protect Children Online Across Africa
The GSMA, in collaboration with the mobile industry, is calling for stronger, coordinated efforts to protect children online in Africa, as the continent’s digital transformation accelerates.
Angela Wamola, Head of Sub-Saharan Africa at GSMA, emphasized that online safety is a shared responsibility: “By working together, we can ensure the digital environment becomes a place of opportunity, not risk, for Africa’s children.”
A newly released whitepaper titled ‘Enhancing Child Online Protection in Sub-Saharan Africa’ outlines key recommendations:
- Adopt child- and youth-centered approaches in policy and program development
- Strengthen national frameworks aligned with the AU’s child online safety strategy
- Expand digital literacy for children, parents, and educators
- Build robust public-private partnerships to scale tools and resources
UNICEF’s Regional Advisor, Nankali Maksud, echoed the call, highlighting that children make up half of Africa’s population: “Protecting their safety online is an investment in Africa’s future.”
The initiative draws from regional data, IPSOS research by MTN Group, and voices like that of youth advocate Jemima Kasongo, from the DRC, who made a powerful plea during the MWC25 roundtable in Barcelona.
GSMA urges all stakeholders to engage with the recommendations and collaborate to create a safer, more empowering digital space for African children.
