President Tinubu Urges Young Nigerians to Harness Digital Platforms for National Unity and Economic Growth

President Bola Tinubu has called on young Nigerians active in the digital media space to use their platforms as tools for promoting national unity, economic growth, and responsible civic engagement. Speaking at the Progressives Digital Media Summit, the President emphasized the importance of verifying information before sharing it, warning that misinformation threatens the fabric of society. He praised the creativity and resilience of Nigerian youth, describing digital media as a powerful force for economic and social transformation, and cited initiatives like the National Digital Innovation Fund as examples of his administration's support for digital innovation.

Key Takeaways:

• President Tinubu urged young Nigerians to use their digital platforms to promote national unity, economic growth, and responsible civic engagement, stressing the importance of verifying information before sharing it.
• The President praised the creativity and resilience of Nigerian youth, describing digital media as a powerful force for economic and social transformation.
• He cited initiatives like the National Digital Innovation Fund as examples of his administration's support for digital innovation.
• Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila commended digital media practitioners who have projected Nigeria positively on the global stage.
• Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, warned that social media is not a fair or regulated space and highlighted the challenges of fake news and disinformation.
• The summit convener, Segun Dada, underscored the growing power of digital media and called for a collective effort to harness its potential while addressing risks such as disinformation, data privacy breaches, and threats to national unity.

Statistics:

• In less than a decade, digital media has evolved from a tool for personal connection to a major driver of communication, innovation, and public influence.
• The National Digital Innovation Fund is one of the initiatives cited by President Tinubu as an example of his administration's support for digital innovation.
• According to Bayo Onanuga, social media platforms are not a fair or regulated space, and are often driven by sensationalism, deepfakes, AI-generated content, and click-driven misinformation.

Sources:

• Progressives Digital Media Summit (exact title not provided in the source material)
• President Bola Tinubu's speech at the Progressives Digital Media Summit
• Femi Gbajabiamila's remarks at the Progressives Digital Media Summit
• Bayo Onanuga's remarks at the Progressives Digital Media Summit
• Segun Dada's statement on the growing power of digital media