Dark Side of Going Viral: Nigerian children risk dangerous relationships on social media; digital creators eye $17.8bn market by 2030

By Juliet Umeh For many Nigerian children and teenagers, social media is no longer simply a place to chat, watch skits or share photographs. It is a classroom, marketplace, entertainment centre and, increasingly, a possible route to fame and income. But behind the likes, followers and viral videos is another reality- scams, exploitation, cyberbullying, privacy violations, pressure to perform and dangerous relationships with strangers met online.

Nigeria’s digital population is expanding rapidly. DataReportal’s Digital 2026: Nigeria report, published November 8, 2025, estimated 109 million internet users at the end of 2025 and 47.8 million social-media user identities in October 2025, representing 20 percent of the population. When opportunity becomes a trap For 19-year-old Nnaemeka Umunna, the internet was supposed to make life easier, but a scammer taught him a lesson in a hard way.

Let me use this one to learn,” Nnaemeka recalled. He said he searched Google for a flight-booking service and contacted a number he found on WhatsApp. After collecting his personal details, the supposed agent sent him a private bank account to make payment.

“I paid N32,000, but the booking confirmation never came. The agent eventually stopped responding. I reported the matter to my bank, but I could not recover my money,” he said.

For university undergraduate Adebayo Jimoh, according to someone familiar with his lifestyle, the internet has also influenced his perception of success. The source alleged that Jimoh engages in internet fraud and, whenever he “cashes out”, spends heavily on food and other things he does not need. “He knows another one will come,” the source said.

The creator economy and pressure to perform Communiqué and TM Global, Africa Creator Economy Report 2.0: The Business of Creativity- Funding and Sustaining African Creators, January 2026 noted that Nigeria’s online content-creator market was valued at about $3.1 billion and could reach $17.8 billion by 2030. More than half of African content creators earn less than $100 a month, The road to monetisation is uncertain, increasing pressure to remain visible and post personal or risky content. And when attention becomes the currency, privacy can become the price.