Former Vice President Prof Yemi Osinbajo, Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani are among dignitaries expected to grace this year’s conference on Technology, New Media, Citizens and Governance (TNCG) scheduled for November 28 in Lagos at The Zone, Gbagada, Lagos.
Speaking ahead of the conference which is being organised by civil society organizations, BudgIT and Enough is Enough (EiE), Country Director of BudgIT, Gabriel Okeowo, said the forum will focus on leveraging technology for accountable governance.
“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 society, these efforts can become more impactful and effective,” he said.
He said the conference, which has been rebranded from its former name, “New Media, Citizens, and Governance Conference,” will focus on “Technology: The Present and Future of Political Action in Africa” as its theme and examine the growing influence of emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), on governance across the continent.
He said the former Vice President will deliver the keynote address while Dr Tijani will participate in the discussions and give the closing remarks. Deputy Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies of South Africa, Mr. Mondli Gungubele, will also participate reflecting the conference’s pan-African scope.
Executive Director of Enough is Enough Nigeria, Opeyemi Adamolekun, said the conference will address critical issues at the intersection of technology and governance. “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,” she said.
Aside Prof Osinbajo and Dr Tijani, the conference has also confirmed the participation of prominent speakers including Ousman Kallay (iLAB, Liberia), Mutemi Wa Kiama (Co-Chair, Africans Rising Movement Coordinating Collective, Kenya), Iyinoluwa Aboyeji (MD, Futures Africa, Nigeria), and Hannah Kates (Head Stears Open Data, American in Nigeria).
In collaboration with TASCK, a leading creative talent management organisation, there will be a pitch session for content creators to make governance issues more accessible and engaging. The top two creators will receive awards in cash and kind for their innovative contributions.
The bi-annual, pan-African hybrid conference will bring together policymakers, private sector leaders, academics, students, and civil society actors to explore innovative ways to enhance citizen engagement and governmental service delivery through technology.
The organizers emphasized that while attendance is free, registration is required through tech.newmediagov.ng. They encourage widespread participation from all stakeholders interested in leveraging technology for better governance in Africa.
