Abuja: The Federal Government has announced that over 10,326 Gender-Based Violence (GBV) cases were recorded between January and September 2025, with 2,444 survivors receiving care at recovery centres. The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imam Suleiman-Ibrahim, shared these figures during the National Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue on Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TF-GBV), which was organised by ActionAid and other development partners in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the dialogue was one of the activities marking the 2025 16 Days of Activism, focusing on the theme ‘Unite! End All Forms of Digital Violence against Women and Girls’. Represented by Dr Adanna Steinacker, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Women’s Health, the minister stated that 511 survivors had been supported with livelihoods and empowerment interventions. She noted that while there was a decline in the 2024 National Demographic and Health Survey regarding sexual violence, physical violence, and intimate partner violence, one in three women still experienced GBV during the same period.
The minister highlighted that violence against women, children, and vulnerable groups continues to be a widespread issue across the country. She pointed out that Technology-facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TF-GBV) remains largely unreported due to its complex nature, encompassing sex torture, non-consensual sharing of intimate images, online blackmail, and manipulation of digital platforms. This has led to severe trauma and, in some instances, fatalities.
She further revealed that the Federal Government plans to relaunch the National Electronic Dashboard on Gender-Based Violence, which is crucial for tracking trends, identifying patterns, and improving case management and coordination nationwide. The ministry aims to prioritise the establishment of an Emergency GBV Response Fund to address funding gaps and ensure operational stability for shelters, hotlines, emergency response, and survivor rehabilitation.
Mrs Cynthia Rowe, representing the United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, called for a national online gender safety policy to coordinate agencies and enforce content moderation standards. She urged social media platforms to remove harmful content within 48 hours, deploy culturally aware moderation teams, and publish transparency reports. Rowe also advocated for digital abuse courts and digital protection orders to serve as comprehensive reporting portals integrating police, legal aid, and psychosocial support, while emphasising the necessity of mandatory gender-sensitive cybercrime training for law enforcement.
ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) Country Director, Andrew Mamedu, stated that the dialogue aimed to strengthen national coordination and deepen understanding of TF-GBV in Nigeria. The initiative seeks to identify legal and institutional gaps and co-create a National Roadmap for prevention and response. Mamedu stressed that through high-level remarks, thematic presentations, panel discussions, and interactive sessions, participants would develop actionable solutions and build stronger partnerships. The initiative aims to secure commitments from the government and other stakeholders to enhance protection, reporting, accountability, and digital safety for women and girls across the country.