In typical SMWLagos style, Governance Day gathered public and private sector representatives, civil society organizations and technology and governance practitioners to share experiences, challenges and advances in the use of technology for good governance.
This year, USAID & Enough Is Enough Nigeria hosted “Let’s Talk Governance 6.0” and a series of masterclasses and panels, which featured a keynote address from the Consul General F. John Bray, head of U.S. Consulate Lagos, a live interview with Prof. Attahiru Jega, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Peter Obi, former governor of Anambra State as well as engaging panels with governance practitioners.
According to ‘Yemi Adamolekun, Executive Director, EIE NIGERIA “until citizens demand good governance, the system will most likely remain the same. The demand for good governance and public accountability will require adequate information, knowledge about policies and the right tools for engagement. New innovations in technology are bridging the gap by providing a robust platform for productive civic engagement”.
The North Eastern Regional Initiative also hosted “Youth & Battling Violent Extremism Via Social Media” which featured youth from northeastern Nigeria who have used social media as a tool to battle violent extremism. Young Leaders from the North East Intellectual Entrepreneurship Fellowship (NEIEF) who have successfully used the #NotAnotherNigerian on social media to battle violent extremism and young photographers from the #UntoldStoriesOfTheNorthEast photo Campaign were also featured during the session.
Although it was Governance Day, #SMWLagos Day 4 also featured a variety of events including yoga sessions, panels bordering on technology, fashion and e-commerce. Jumia Nigeria engaged a cross-section of entrepreneurs in their event titled “Selling on Social Media vs E-commerce – Where’s The Real Money?” which was enlightening. While social media works well for products tailor-made for customers, partnering with e-commerce platforms gives entrepreneurs more time to focus on their business and saves time that would otherwise be spent on logistics and customer service.
Governance Day ended on a high note with “Games Night For Young Professionals & Entrepreneurs” and “The Media & Pop Culture Meet Up: Igniting Creative Minds Through Synergy” hosted by Vibe.ng