On the day I met 26-year-old Shola, a pseudonym, she had just arrived at a hotel in Ogba, Lagos, to engage in prostitution. Her journey began on Telegram in 2023 when a friend introduced her to a prostitution group. By April 2025, she was a full-time prostitute. Prostitution, often called 'hookup' in Nigeria, involves exchanging sexual activity for money. The hotel allows prostitutes to operate freely, with men spending on drinks and lodging, creating a double profit stream.
Global and Local Scope
The global sex industry generates an estimated $186 billion annually, with Nigeria accounting for about 6.45 percent of that revenue. Shola is popular at the hotel. Within minutes, she is with a client, sitting silently in the club with beer and cigarettes. I sat nearby and chatted with her on WhatsApp about her experiences while she entertained her client.
Telegram Groups as Hubs
Shola gets clients from a private Telegram group called 'Obawole, Ogba, and Iju Ishaga,' adorned with rose emojis. Unlike other groups using keywords like 'hookup,' this group carries no such signal. The group connects prostitutes with clients in the same Lagos axis. Telegram allows private groups with up to 200,000 members and unlimited media sharing. Launched in 2013 by Pavel and Nikolai Durov, it now has over 1 billion monthly users. Features like end-to-end encryption and hidden phone numbers enable these groups to hide in plain sight.
Shola helped me join the group, typing on my behalf: 'I am available for any short rest and overnight with BJ.' She warned me about an admin named Cattea who extorts money from women.
Pimping with Digital Strategy
Another prostitute, Blessing, shared her experience with Cattea. She paid N2,000 to be verified, but Cattea kept demanding money and threatened to mute her. After paying N1,000 twice, she refused, and Cattea blocked her. Angel, another member, paid N10,000 to join highbrow area groups like @lekkibeach, but the admin muted her and demanded N70,000. She suspects the admins are a couple who extort because they feel untouchable. Angel has also faced body shaming and threats from clients. One client compared her to a bag of bones after she requested N250,000 for anal sex.
Admins profit from membership fees and price increases. Although Angel paid N10,000 to join @ajahconnect, when I tried to join, the admin asked for N35,000. Ajah Connect has over 16,000 members.
Migration from WhatsApp
I counted 86 such groups across Nigeria. Some migrated from WhatsApp after being banned. One group, Olosho Connect Naija, initially on WhatsApp, now aims to be the top prostitution group in Nigeria. Admin Henry Otareh wants members from every major city. The group requires male members to pay N5,000 to his Opay account, while prostitutes pay N3,000 to N20,000. Women must be verified as prostitutes. I was verified by sharing my view-once photo and age with June Din, the group's owner, and was tagged a 'verified escort.'
When I asked about safety, June said, 'This is a hookup; nobody is guaranteeing you safety.' The group uses Telegram's privacy features to prevent screenshots and reporting. It also uses AI tools like ChatKeeperbot and Safeguard.
Misinformation and Exploitation
Henry claimed prostitution is the oldest profession, but historical records show toolmaking is older. Public health expert Elizabeth Adewale refuted his claim that women are more active in sex when paid. Henry also uses women's leaked nudes from porn sites to advertise, displaying nine videos on his album. One video of a teenager was traced to a Nigerian porn site and also posted on Facebook, which only hid it from minors.
Henry procures women for sex locally and abroad. He posted about traveling to Ghana for work and needing services in Calabar.
Telegram's Response
Telegram's policy prohibits illegal activities. I reported Olosho Connect Naija on January 18, and the group was taken down on January 22. However, a week later, Henry opened a new group with a similar name and invited me. Women's rights activist Oluwafunmbi Ogunsola called for permanent bans for repeat offenders.
Legal Framework
Nigeria's penal code prohibits prostitution in the North, while the Criminal Code in the South prohibits facilitation. Lawyer Christiana Longe said these groups are illegal online brothels. However, NAPTIP's Cross River head, Godwin Eyake, initially said the group's existence is not illegal unless there is exploitation. Lawyer Dogo Joy countered that the law clearly prohibits facilitation, noting that punishment is outdated—a fine of one hundred naira or six months imprisonment.
After reporting to NAPTIP headquarters, Director Ijeoma Amugo confirmed the activities are illegal and promised an investigation. Women's rights advocate Prisca Iwendi recommended monitoring hotels functioning as brothels. Anna Fisher of Nordic Model Now urged Telegram to proactively eliminate such groups.
On March 23, the new Olosho Connect Naija integrated an AI bot to detect reporters. On March 27, Telegram suspended my account 'on suspicion of spam,' ending my access.
Editor's Note: Names of women have been changed to protect identities.
