C’WEALTH DAY 2025: LAGOS GOVT, EXPERTS URGE YOUTH TO EMBRACE AI TOOLS FOR SOLVING SOCIETY CHALLENGES
The Lagos State Government and experts in the Information Communication and Technology (ICT) sector have urged Nigerian youth to embrace Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in solving societal challenges.
They gave the advice during the 2025 Commonwealth Day organised by the Tantacom Group and the Commonwealth Youth Council (CYC) at the University of Lagos, Akoka, on Friday. The theme of the event was "AI, Youth, and the Future of Work."
Speaking at the event attended by hundreds of youths and students, Lagos State Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mr. Mobolaji Ogunlende, said AI has not only transformed how people work; it has also redefined the very essence of productivity and creativity.
Ogunlende said the impact of AI on work cannot be overstated. He noted that across industries, AI has altered how tasks are completed, reducing the time and effort required to achieve results.
He said: "AI as an ally empowering the youth for the future of work. Instead of viewing AI as a threat, young people must embrace it as a partner in their professional journey. AI offers three key advantages that can reshape the future of work for youth. Whether in writing, music production, app development, or business strategy, AI allows young innovators to test their ideas quickly and refine them before presenting them to the world.
“A young entrepreneur can now use AI to draft a business proposal, generate a financial model, and create a marketing strategy—all within a day. AI is not just about automation; it is also creating new job roles. Fields such as AI ethics, machine learning engineering, data science, and AI-assisted design are emerging industries where young people can carve out lucrative careers.”
Also speaking, the Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mr. Idris Aregbe, said the Lagos State Government is ready to support young people that are into AI. He said technology will help to create more jobs for the young people.
He said: "Whatever you are seeing today or what the AI is representing is for the future. It is not going to affect anything. All you just need to do is to be able to tap into it, and the AI will bounce. People say it is the future. I don't think it is the future. It is here. It is now. We need to move with it and start to take advantage of AI.
“We in Lagos have things for youth to do. We are ready, and we will continue to go forward with this. And we will continue to support every young person out there who is also making a difference.”
Speaking earlier, the Co-CEO of Tantacom Group, Mrs. Jennifer Odufuwa, said the theme of this year's Commonwealth Day is a call to collaborate, innovate, and create a future where no one is left behind in the digital age.
Odufuwa said AI is changing industries, redefining jobs, and creating new opportunities at an unprecedented pace.
"AI is the foundation of the future. It is transforming sectors from finance to healthcare, from agriculture to creative industries. It is eliminating outdated job roles while creating new ones. It is demanding that we rethink education, skills, and workforce readiness. But here is the truth: AI will not replace people."
Also speaking, the Co-CEO of Tantacom Group, Mrs. Olufunke Adu, said the Commonwealth Day is not an event but a movement designed for youth across 56 countries in the world to come together to find opportunity in artificial intelligence.
Adu said: “We want young people to learn to leverage artificial intelligence, knowing that it is the future of work. And without artificial intelligence, it might be difficult for them to actually do better in the future and also to let them know that AI is not futuristic. It is now. So they need to take action by beginning to upscale themselves in artificial intelligence.”
Speaking on the launch of the Commonwealth AI Academy, Adu said it is an academy that is free where young people can learn any kind of skills regarding machine learning and artificial intelligence. “And they have various courses on the platform, and it's a self-paced programme. So you can go on it, look for programmes that you feel that you can learn, and begin to learn it.
“In Africa, we don't want a situation whereby Nigerians, especially Lagosians, are just spectators. We are leading this conversation because we want them to take action. We want them to leverage this opportunity because it is a golden opportunity for them to learn something that will benefit them, to learn skills that will help them when they get to work, and something that will make them be able to be better, contribute to their quota, be a better individual, and also help the workplace generally,” she said.
The Country Representative of Commonwealth Youth Council (CYC), Abdbasit Saba, said the Council will continue to ensure that young people across the world are acknowledged for their contribution to the development of AI.
Saba said: “There is something unique in Nigeria about the way we show up for opportunities. We are gathered under the banner of the Commonwealth and also the Commonwealth Youth Council, a platform that exists not just to amplify our voices but also to ensure that young people across the world are acknowledged."
The Chief Partnership Officer at Wema Bank, Mr. Ajibade Laolu-Adewale, said that in the world today, someone won’t be able to survive without AI. He said human beings won't be able to live their lives properly without AI-driven tools solving problems.
“So, technically, today, I was able to speak to the students, and it was around what the future of work looks like. AI will enable them to be better at what they want to do. AI creates opportunities around several sectors and industries. AI will get better along the line as you look at it," he said.
Also speaking, the President of JCI Nigeria, Oluwatoyin Atanda, said the youth should embrace AI because AI is not in competition with them. She said AI gives young people the opportunity to upscale themselves and be better individuals.
Speaking on the opportunities in the use of AI, Atanda said, “I think that AI will create more jobs than it eliminates if you adapt and adopt the technologies; it would create more opportunities. Because if you have the knowledge and you have the skills to transform your community, to transform your workplace, then you have an edge over every other person."
During a session moderated by a Tech Lawyer and AI Optimization Consultant, Bukola Ogunsakin, the panelists; Founder, Stringify Consulting, Ayotunde Ayoola; Team Lead, Google Africa SEO Department, Peter Oriaku; COO, DAcubcn Technology Ltd, John Atomode and Head, Business Development, MoMo PSB, Chioma Nwahiri, also charged the young people to use AI positively to develop the society.
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