Africa
By Anthony Isibor
NIGERIA ranks among the countries with the lowest support for banning social media use among children under 16.
According to the research by a new global study by Family First, an initiative of the Varkey Foundation only 39% of Nigerian parents support a ban on social media for under-16s, which is one of the lowest levels recorded across the 15 countries surveyed.
Among Nigerian children aged 9 to 18, support is even slightly lower at 36%, creating just a 3-point difference between parents and children—the smallest generational gap globally.
This close alignment between parents and children in Nigeria stands in contrast to wider global trends, where opinions between generations tend to differ more sharply.
Globally, support for a ban is significantly higher. A majority of Gen Z respondents worldwide (51%) back restrictions on social media for under-16s. In Nigeria, however, that figure drops to 41%, reflecting a more cautious or divided stance.
The study comes at a time when governments around the world are increasingly considering stricter regulations on young people’s use of social media. Australia recently introduced a landmark ban, with more than two dozen countries exploring similar measures.
Across the countries surveyed, support for the ban is strongest in Malaysia (77%) and India (75%), while Japan records the lowest level at 38%, closely followed by Nigeria at 39%.
Among children globally, only 37% support such restrictions, with the highest backing seen in Malaysia and India (both 62%), and the lowest in Japan (20%).
The findings are part of what researchers describe as the world’s first global intergenerational study examining attitudes toward social media bans. The broader research project explores family relationships across generations and will culminate in the release of a global Family Bonding Index.
Speaking on the findings, Sunny Varkey, founder of Family First, said that the results reflected the growing concerns about the role of technology in family life.
He noted that while debates about banning social media continue, the bigger issue is how digital platforms are shaping relationships between parents and children.
According to him, helping young people build healthy habits around technology is essential for strengthening families and communities in the long term.
The report ultimately highlights a key insight: in Nigeria, both parents and children appear to share similar views on social media use—suggesting that the conversation around restrictions may require a more balanced and context-specific approach rather than a one-size-fits-all solution.
A.I
April 15, 2026
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