The deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has called on Nigerian youths to take active leadership roles in shaping the country’s democracy.

This, he said, could be achieved through digital innovation and civic participation ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Mr Kalu made the call on Wednesday at the opening of the 2025 CiTech Summit organised by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies to mark the 10th anniversary of World Youth Skills Day.

Mr Kalu said that Nigeria’s future depended on harnessing its vast digital potential to build an inclusive, transparent, and technology-driven democratic system.

He said, despite Nigeria’s projected 103 million internet users and over 205 million active mobile connections, representing 90.7 per cent of the population, the country still struggles with significant digital inequality.

“Only 45.5 per cent of our people have internet access nationally, and in rural areas it’s just 23 per cent. This dichotomy defines our 2027 challenge: how do we build an inclusive, digitally enabled democracy when more than half of our citizens remain digitally excluded? The road to 2027 is not paved with wishful thinking; it is paved with strategic action, institutional reform, and collective commitment,” he said.

He said it had become imperative to leverage digital innovation not as an end in itself but as a means to the ultimate end.

“Let us build a Nigeria where every citizen, regardless of location, gender, or socioeconomic status, has a voice, a vote, and a stake in the democratic future,” he said.

The deputy speaker said that the National Assembly was committed to supporting young people to take up leadership positions.

“We are actively reviewing legislative frameworks to reduce the financial barriers to political participation, enhance youth representation in party structures, and create institutional pathways for youth-led civic innovation,” Mr Kalu said.

The lawmaker, however, said that legislation alone was not enough, adding that youths must organise, mobilise, and claim their rightful place in Nigeria’s democratic future.

“Use digital platforms not just for consumption, but for creation. Build the civic tech tools that track government projects, monitor budgets, and expose corruption. Use your voices on social media not just to criticise, but to propose solutions, run for office, support candidates who share your values, vote, and hold your leaders accountable. Democracy is not a spectator sport; it requires your active, sustained, and strategic participation,” he said.

The director-general of NILDS, Abubakar Suliaman, encouraged youths to think boldly and creatively about the role that technology can play in enhancing their participation in governance.

He tasked them with challenging the status quo, breaking down barriers to inclusion, and working together to build a democratic system that was inclusive and forward-looking.

Yusuf Laidi, the founder of ILEAD Africa, a group of innovative thinkers, said that the theme was a call to action and to reimagine how to engage citizens, build trust in governance, and empower young people.

 (NAN)