|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Summary
Imaan Sulaiman Ibrahim, the Minister of Women Affairs, has pledged her commitment to safeguarding Nigerian children’s access to digital technology, especially as artificial intelligence (AI) continues to shape global education.
Imaan Sulaiman Ibrahim, the Minister of Women Affairs, has pledged to safeguard Nigerian children’s access to digital technology, especially as artificial intelligence (AI) continues to shape global education.
Representing the Minister, Imaan Sulaiman Ibrahim, her Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Jonathan Eze, spoke at the Kids Tech Fest Africa’s first AI summit dedicated to children at the Landmark Event Centre in Victoria Island, Lagos.
The event brought together more than 2,000 families and over 200 schools nationwide. It focused on equipping children between the ages of six and sixteen with foundational knowledge of AI while prioritising conversations around online safety, responsible tech use, and Africa’s place in the global AI movement.
One of the key announcements at the event was the launch of My Go-To Buddy, a child-friendly AI learning community designed to make technology accessible, safe, and empowering for young learners.
In her remarks, the Minister noted the ministry’s ongoing reforms, including a revision of the Child Rights Act to reflect emerging threats like cyberbullying, child trafficking, and digital exploitation. She emphasised that national protection frameworks must evolve alongside technological advancements to shield children, women, and other vulnerable groups from harm.
The convener of the summit and CEO of Digital Equity Africa, Justina Nnam Oha, stressed the urgency of positioning African children to thrive in tech.
“Africa boasts one of the fastest-growing youth populations in the world, but we debate whether we can dominate the technology landscape in the next couple of years. The relevance of our children and how much we bring them up to the speed of the advancement of AI with our context as Africans is critical,” she said.
Tech expert Lavina Rankisson called for children to be given access to learning about AI as early as possible.
Imaan Sulaiman
