On May 21, 2025, the vibrant halls of the Civic Centre in Lagos, Nigeria, became the meeting ground for some of West Africa’s boldest civic thinkers, doers, and changemakers. Hosted by Civic Hive, the West Africa CivicTech Conference 2025 brought together a dynamic mix of government officials, tech innovators, policymakers, youth leaders, and civil society actors, all committed to one shared goal: Strengthening democracy through technology.
This wasn’t just another tech conference. It was a collaborative space for learning, co-creation, and movement building. A place where the shared mission was clear: to explore how civic technology can support democratic institutions, protect electoral integrity, and empower everyday citizens, especially youth, to shape a more inclusive and participatory future.
Under the theme “Strengthening Democracy in West Africa through Technology,” the conference posed the big questions many of us have been pondering: Can technology improve democracy? How can civic tech tools help citizens engage more meaningfully with governance? What role should youth play in designing the future of democratic participation?
At NGYouthSDGs, these questions aren’t just theoretical. They are central to the work we do every day, empowering young Nigerians to lead and thrive through education, advocacy, and digital innovation. So when conversations like this happen, we listen closely and we take notes.
Opening the event, Joseph Amenghawon, Team Lead at Civic Hive, laid the foundation by emphasising how civic technology offers young people new ways to plug into governance, share data-driven insights, and strengthen the civic tech ecosystem across the region.
In the keynote address, Seun Onigbinde, Global Director at BudgIT, reminded us that while democracy may be facing global scepticism, technology, when used responsibly, can support trust, transparency, and reform. But he made one thing clear: tech isn’t the fix-all. It’s a tool, and the real power lies in the people using it.
Here are a few Key Conversations that caught our attention:
Panel 1: Can Technology Fix Democracy?
This panel, moderated by Temidayo Musa, Head of Operations and Programs at Civic Hive, unpacked the tension between innovation and impact. Panellists Maimouna Ba, Founder, Sahelian Mother Foundation; Ife Salako, Spokesperson, Labour Party; Bukola Idowu, Executive Director, Kimpact Development Initiative; and Adesuwa Imasekha, Founder, Women Impacting Nigeria, brought rich perspectives.
They opined that technology alone could not fix democracy, but it could play a powerful supporting role when used intentionally. Politics shapes every part of our lives, and young people must be actively involved in influencing it. They noted that while tech can amplify both the strengths and weaknesses of a system, it ultimately mirrors the values and structures already in place. Lasting democratic change requires more than innovation; it depends on strong institutions, civic education, and engaged citizens. For technology to be truly impactful, it must be integrated alongside broader efforts to build public trust and safeguard electoral integrity.
Panel 2: Rethinking AI and Civic Tech for People, Impact, and Inclusive Governance
Moderated by Monica Rodrigues, Founder of The Ecofeminism Movement. Panellists included: Hon. Akin Rotimi, Spokesperson, House of Representatives, Nigeria; Hawa C. Coulibaly, Director of Operations, Tuwindi; Nehemiah Attigah, Co-founder and Principal Lead, Odekro PMO; Naffisatou Sene, Portfolio Manager, African Collaborative.
This session explored the rapidly evolving role of AI in civic spaces, with discussions focusing on the need for inclusion, trust, and adaptability. The Panellists emphasised that civic tech is not just about creating digital tools, but about enabling meaningful, people-centred engagement. To truly strengthen democracy, technologies like AI must be designed with communities, not just for them, ensuring they are inclusive, ethical, and responsive to real needs. Young people, in particular, have a critical role to play in this process by actively demanding accountability and shaping digital policies, including those under review, such as Nigeria’s proposed National AI Reporting Agency (NAIRA)
As NGYouthSDGs, we see events like this as a reminder that the future of democracy won’t be handed down but co-created. Civic technology offers powerful pathways for young people to:
Demand transparency
Engage with governance
Build solutions for their communities
Amplify unheard voices
But it’s not enough to build platforms. We must build trust, skills, and systems that include everyone, especially the youth. Civic tech is a tool, not a magic wand. It must work hand-in-hand with inclusive policies, public-private partnerships, and genuine political will.
Recommendations That Align with Our Mission
Prioritise youth voter participation and civic education
Foster collaboration between civic tech innovators and policymakers
Strengthen cross-sector partnerships to scale local solutions
Promote inclusive governance and ethical technology use
Ensure civic tech addresses real problems on the ground
Conclusion
The West Africa CivicTech Conference 2025 affirmed that while democracy cannot be fixed by tech alone, it can be greatly strengthened by it, especially when led by engaged, informed, and visionary young people. At NGYouthSDGs, we are more committed than ever to building a Nigeria where youth are not just participating in democracy, but leading it because civic leadership isn’t about waiting your turn. It’s about creating new paths, asking better questions, and using the tools we have, digital and otherwise, to build something better, together.
