The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) is set to deploy artificial intelligence and advanced digital tools to capture, analyse and transform ideas generated by Nigerian youths into concrete policy proposals for national development.
The Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, CCIE, disclosed this during the opening ceremony of the maiden National Youth Conference held at the National Counter Terrorism Centre in Abuja.
Inuwa described Nigerian youths as one of the country’s most strategic assets, noting that young people are increasingly using digital platforms such as X, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok to express their views and propose solutions to national challenges.
He, however, observed that the huge volume of online content makes it difficult for government agencies to distinguish actionable policy ideas from misinformation and what he described as digital noise.
To address the challenge, the DG said NITDA is providing the technical backbone for the initiative in partnership with the Ministry of Youth Development, using artificial intelligence frameworks to capture and organise ideas generated during the conference.
According to him, the technology will categorise submissions into thematic areas including digital innovation, job creation, climate action and security, while creating an auditable trail through which viable ideas can move from the conference platform into official policy channels.
Inuwa assured participants that their discussions and contributions would be captured and preserved through technology, stressing NITDA’s commitment to supporting the process from idea generation to policy development.
He further disclosed that the AI-driven platform would support virtual zonal sessions scheduled to hold from October 5 to 17, 2026.
The virtual engagements, he said, would provide opportunities for young Nigerians across all 360 federal constituencies, as well as those in the diaspora, to participate in the policy-shaping process irrespective of their physical location.
The initiative is expected to strengthen the connection between youth participation, digital innovation and public policy by providing a structured mechanism for translating young Nigerians’ ideas into actionable development proposals.
