The voices of Nigerian youth on how they can shape their own future will be heard around the world as the Institute for Governance and Economic Transformation (IGET), a public policy think tank headed by Professor Kingsley Moghalu, a former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Deputy Governor, will host the first Elevating Youth Voices Summit on April 10, 2021. The virtual summit will have as its theme “The Creative Industry, Social Media, and Governance”.
The Elevating Youth Voices summit will examine how cultural “influencers” can move beyond social bubbles and utilize their voices and influence to bring about improved governance in the country at large. It will also discuss the increasingly important role of social media in Nigerian national life, and its potential to shape governance and public policy in positive ways.
Several A-List artistes and youth influencers will serve as speakers at Elevating Youth Voices. They include the musician and entertainment entrepreneur Jude (“M.I.”) Abaga, actress, former beauty queen and good governance activist Regina Askia Williams, the on-air personality Sandra Ezekwesili, actress Kate Henshaw, the actor Benjamin Joseph, and the poet, essayist and Daily Trust newspaper columnist Gimba Kakanda. Others are the youth social entrepreneur Hamzat (“Hamzy Code”) Lawal, notable #EndSARS personalities Modupe Odele, Rinu Oduola and DJ Switch, the technology lawyer Timi Olagunju, and the actress Rahama Sadau. Andrew Mwavua, a United States entrepreneur, and Matilda Duncan, an on-air personality, will serve as the summit’s moderators.
“We all worry about what the future holds for Nigeria’s youth in the face of rising poverty, insecurity and unemployment, but it is now time for responsible action”, said Prof. Moghalu, who as a deputy governor of the CBN between 2009 and 2014 led the implementation of several reforms that reshaped the Nigerian banking and payments system, including the introduction of the unique-identifier Bank Verification Number (BVN). “We plan to have a deep-dive conversation between young people to explore how the gap between the celebrity influence and the difficult realities of life in our country can be bridged”.
The Institute for Governance and Economic Transformation, founded in 2016, is a policy development centre that focuses on how developing countries can achieve inclusive economic growth and governance transformation. The institute will host quarterly summits on various subjects under the “Elevating Youth Voices” theme.
