Nigeria Launches First AI-Enabled Tracker for Online Gender-Based Violence, Documents 20,000 Cases

Nigeria has launched its first AI-enabled Online Gender-Based Violence (OGBV) Tracker, a significant step in combating digital abuse against women. The tool, developed by the Centre for Redefining Alternative Civic Engagement for Africa (RACE Centre), was unveiled in Abuja to coincide with Pan-African Women's Day.

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Just a few months ago, a brilliant young woman leader sat across from me in tears, terrified after a coordinated mob posted her home address online alongside AI-manipulated images designed to destroy her dignity and force her into silence.

The AI-enabled tracker utilizes machine learning, localized keywords, and context analysis to identify and monitor online violence in real-time across Nigerian and African digital spaces. It has already recorded more than 20,000 verified cases of cyber harassment, doxxing, non-consensual deepfakes, and AI-driven attacks targeting women in public life.

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Her heartbreak reflects the quiet agony of millions of African women who wake up every single morning facing digital violence simply for daring to exist or lead in digital spaces.

Evelyn Ugbe, Executive Director of RACE Centre, stated that the tracker was created in response to the "lived experiences of Nigerian women." She recounted a specific incident where a "brilliant young woman leader" was targeted with AI-manipulated images and her home address posted online, designed to "destroy her dignity and force her into silence." Ugbe emphasized that the tracker provides "undeniable proof" and data to "drive policy, inform law enforcement, and hold platforms accountable."

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Behind every single one of those 20,000 cases is a real woman whose peace, safety, and human dignity were under attack.

The launch event gathered representatives from government, security agencies, civil society, and development partners. The RACE Centre acknowledged support from Luminate for institutional assistance and Co-Impact for funding. Law enforcement agencies present included the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters and FCT Command, NPF National Cybercrime Center, NSCDC, and NAPTIP, signaling a collaborative approach to addressing OGBV.

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We built this tracker because we needed undeniable proof. Data that can drive policy, inform law enforcement, and hold platforms accountable. The system is designed to flag actionable cases and provide evidence .for advocacy, research, and referrals to relevant authorities.