In a groundbreaking stride toward digital justice and online safety, the Brain Builders Youth Development Initiative (BBYDI) has launched “Kemi”, a survivor-centered, AI-powered WhatsApp chatbot co-created by survivors to support individuals facing Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV).
The launch event, held at the prestigious Transcorp Hilton in Abuja and supported by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, brought together global development leaders, policymakers, civil society advocates, and youth voices from across West and Central Africa.
With the theme “Championing Digital Safety for Women and Girls Across West and Central Africa,” the event served not only as a platform to unveil innovative digital tools, but as a powerful reminder of the urgency to address rising online violence through localized, survivor-informed interventions.
Too many survivors suffer in silence not because they want to, but because the systems meant to protect them are often inaccessible or untrustworthy,” said Nurah Jimoh-Sanni (Esq.), Executive Director of BBYDI, in her opening address.
“Kemi is different. It listens without judgment, supports without delay, and was co-created by survivors themselves. It reflects our belief that safety online is not a luxury, it is a right.
The launch of Kemi followed the results of BBYDI’s multi-country survey conducted earlier in 2025 across six countries Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Benin, Togo, and Senegal.
The survey revealed that 92% of respondents mostly women had experienced some form of TFGBV, including cyberbullying, non-consensual image sharing, and doxxing. Alarmingly, less than half ever reported these experiences.
Survivors cited stigma, fear of blame, and lack of trust in support systems as major barriers to seeking help.
“This wasn’t just about identifying a problem,” noted Olasupo Abideen Opeyemi, BBYDI’s Global Director, who led the development and launch of Kemi.
“We held 41 feedback and testing workshops across the region to ensure that the solution we created wasn’t just high-tech, it was high-trust.” From research to real-time support, our approach ensures that no survivor is left behind
Kemi is available in multiple local languages and guides users through discreet conversations about online abuse, self-help strategies, and available support resources completely confidentially.
Alongside Kemi, BBYDI unveiled several new knowledge products designed to strengthen the response ecosystem to TFGBV.
These include: The Methodological Report on TFGBV Database Development in West and Central Africa
· TFGBV in Nigeria: Mapping Harms, Gaps and Pathways to Justice
· Power and Influence in Addressing TFGBV in Nigeria
· HerSafeSpace: Digital Safety Manual
· Staying Safe With Tao: A Guidebook on Becoming a Digital Champion
Each resource draws from field data, survivor testimony, and community consultation to equip stakeholders with actionable strategies to prevent and respond to online violence.
A highlight of the event was the inauguration of the Male Allyship Programme, a strategic platform for involving men and boys in dismantling the structures that sustain online and offline violence.
The inaugural cohort included leading public figures and advocates such as: Jaye Gaskia, Political Analyst, Noel Alumona, Founder, Boys Champions, Rotimi Olawale, Executive Director, YouthHub Africa and Mac Imoni Amarere, Board Member, ActionAid Nigeria.
Others includes Mustapha Sheu, Development Expert, Hamzat Lawal, CEO, Connected Development, Hussaini Abdul, Save the Children International, Olajide Funsho Benjamin, Founder, Disability Not a Barrier Initiative and Amara Nwankpa, Acting DG, Yar’Adua Foundation
“The Allyship Programme is about action, not applause,” Nurah Jimoh-Sanni emphasized.
“We are putting the responsibility on male leaders to be advocates, educators, and defenders of safe digital spaces.”
Delivering the keynote address, Madam Ketty Regis, Gender Equality Attaché at the French Embassy in Nigeria, praised BBYDI’s work as a “brilliant demonstration of what innovation can achieve when it is rooted in empathy, data, and human rights.”
The event also featured a powerful spoken word performance, a short documentary chronicling BBYDI’s interventions, and a vibrant panel discussion on AI, Inclusion, and Allyship, moderated by Halimat Olufade, Programme Director at BBYDI.
Kemi represents more than a technological milestone, it is a testament to what can happen when the people most affected by a problem are empowered to create the solution.
“We are not here just to launch a chatbot,” said Olasupo Abideen during his closing remarks.
“We are here to launch a movement, one where survivors are seen, heard, and supported, and where technology becomes a tool for justice, not harm.”
