Former Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, and the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, are among the dignataries to grace the 6th edition of the Technology, New Media, Citizens and Governance (TNCG) conference in Lagos.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event, being organised by BudgIT and Enough is Enough (EiE) Nigeria, is scheduled to be held on Nov. 28 in Lagos, with the theme: “Technology: The Present and Future of Political Action in Africa”.
NAN reports that the conference seeks to examine the growing influence of emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), on governance across the African continent.
NAN reports that Osinbajo will deliver the keynote address, while the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, will participate in the discussions and give the closing remarks.
Other notable speakers include Ousman Kallay, iLAB Liberia; Co-Chair of Africans Rising Movement Coordinating Collective (Kenya), Mutemi Wa Kiama; Head, Stears Open Data, American in Nigeria, Hannah Kates, and MD, Futures Africa, Nigeria, Iyinoluwa Aboyeji.
Speaking at a news conference in Lagos on Thursday, the Country Director of BudgIT, Gabriel Okeowo, said the conference aimed to leverage technology for accountable governance in the country.
Okeowo noted that AI was identified as a key tool to enhance interaction between government and citizens, citing the impacts of the EiE WhatsApp-enabled chatbot to promote good governance.
The country director added that other innovative technologies will be showcased at the conference.
He said that the conference aims to share best practices from different parts of Africa on using technology, new media and AI to improve political actions.
“At BudgIT, we’ve observed that some government agencies are increasingly open to using technology to enhance public service delivery.
“While there’s still progress to be made, with support from civil societies, these efforts can become more impactful and effective,” he said.
In her remarks, the Executive Director, EiE Nigeria, Opeyemi Adamolekun, gave the breakdown of the proposed agenda for the event, noting that the conference would address critical issues at the intersection of technology and governance.
Adamolekun emphasised that the focus of the conference was to bridge the gap between the demand side (citizen use of technology) and the supply side (government and technology providers).
She acknowledged that the presence of the Minister of Communication at the conference will provide a direct government perspective on issues.
“Technology has given ordinary Nigerians unprecedented power to hold their leaders accountable and shape public discourse.
“The TNCG Conference will explore how we can continue to harness these tools to deepen political engagement and drive systemic reforms that strengthen democracy,” Ms Adamolekun said.
She noted that key sessions at the conference would include an evaluation of elections in Africa, adding that the panel will explore how technology is being used to improve governance in Africa, with a focus on Nigeria’s 25 years of democracy.
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