As predators increasingly exploit popular platforms like Roblox and social media to target children, Africa has moved to fight back.
UNICEF and the GSMA have joined forces with leading telecoms and international partners to launch the Africa Taskforce on Child Online Protection (COP), the continent’s first coordinated effort to safeguard children in the digital age.
The Taskforce brings together a powerful coalition that includes MTN Group, Vodacom, Orange, Safaricom, Axian Telecom, INTERPOL, the Internet Watch Foundation, the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (ICMEC), Paramount Africa, and Child Helpline International.
The new alliance has agreed to make child safety a cornerstone of Africa’s digital future.
Launched at the just ended MWC25 in Kigali, the Taskforce will also bring together governments, law enforcement, and industry leaders to tackle cyberbullying, exploitation, misinformation, and harmful content.
Etleva Kadilli, UNICEF’s Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, said the continent has moved to fight back the growing threats as more children are connecting online faster than anywhere else in the world.
“As Africa’s children step boldly into the digital world, their safety must come first. This Taskforce is a uniquely African platform to ensure technology shields children from harm while opening doors to learning, play, and growth,” she said.
Predators have turned once-innocent platforms like Roblox into digital hunting grounds, while social media algorithms continue to push disturbing content to young users. With an estimated half of Africa’s population under 18, experts warn that the lack of strong online protections could have devastating long-term consequences.
Caroline Mbugua, director of public policy at GSMA Africa, said the initiative marks a shift from strategy to action. “Together, we will strengthen digital governance, promote safety by design, and ensure that children’s voices shape the policies that define Africa’s digital future,” she added.
South Africa is already leading by example to protect its most vulnerable digital citizens. The country is drafting regulations that would require age verification gates on video-sharing and large online platforms aimed at curbing minors’ exposure to harmful material.
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