Nigeria: How Telegram’s Regulatory Failures, Misinformation Fuel Exploitative Prostitution in Nigeria

While the group offers no protection for its members, it utilises Telegram’s privacy features extensively to protect itself.

On the day I met 26-year-old Shola (not real name), she had just arrived at a popular hotel in Ogba, a suburban area of Lagos, to engage in prostitution. Her prostitution journey started on Telegram in 2023. A friend had introduced her to a prostitution group on the platform, and by April 2025, Shola had become a full-time prostitute. Prostitution, also called ‘hookup’ in…