Sierra Leone launches Africa’s first SIM-based child online protection service
Date: 2026-01-08
By: Nana Appiah Acquaye
Sierra
Leone has launched Africa’s first SIM-based child online protection service,
marking a significant step in safeguarding children in the digital space. The
service, known as Kidzonet, was officially unveiled at the Africell E-Learning
Hub in Freetown, bringing together representatives from government, regulatory
bodies and the telecommunications industry.
Kidzonet
enables parents and guardians to manage and control their children’s access to
social media platforms and online content directly from their mobile phones.
The service is activated by dialing *499#, with controls applied at the SIM
level rather than through applications or devices.
According
to officials involved in the launch, the SIM-based approach allows Kidzonet to
filter and block content deemed unsuitable for children while ensuring that
essential services such as voice calls and SMS remain unaffected. The service
operates exclusively on the Africell network and does not function over Wi-Fi
connections.
Kidzonet
is priced at NLe9 and is valid for a 30-day period, a structure designed to
make the service both affordable and transparent for families. Organisers of
the launch described the initiative as a practical response to the growing
challenge of protecting children online as internet access and social media use
continue to expand across the country.
The
introduction of Kidzonet aligns with broader national efforts to promote
responsible digital adoption, strengthen child online safety, and ensure that
technological progress is matched with appropriate safeguards for vulnerable
users.
