Stakeholders in the nation’s electoral process have been urged to fashion-out new innovation and practical solutions that can be scaled up and implemented at ensuring free and fair future elections in Nigeria.
Declaring open a hackathon on artificial intelligence (AI) and election in Nigeria, titled, How Technology Can Solve Election Problems in Nigeria, in Ilorin, Kwara state capital on Friday, executive director of a non-profit organization in the state, Webfala Digital Skills for All Initiative (WDSfAI), Mrs. Bakare Nafisat, said that technological innovations have transformed various aspects of our lives, adding that it is imperative to harness the power of technology to strengthen the nation’s democratic process.
“Elections are the cornerstone of democracy, and it is our collective responsibility to ensure that they are free, fair, and transparent. However, we have faced numerous challenges in this regard, including voters’ registration and verification issues, vote buying and selling, bullying, inadequate voting infrastructure, among others.
“But today, we gather to witness and explore how great innovators that are gathered here today can use technology to develop innovative solutions to election challenges, create prototypes and proposals for implementation and also network and build partnerships for future collaboration which are very crucial to our nation”.
The event was organised by the WDSfAI to garner innovation on how to ensure a credible and more acceptable elections in the country.
The event witnessed presentations on possible technological solutions to electoral problems in the country by groups of diverse and talented individuals, “united by a shared passion for democracy and innovation that can safeguard our democratic process.”
Bakare, who emphasized on endless possibilities of technology at solving electoral problems in the country, said that, “From blockchain-based voting systems to artificial intelligence-powered voter registration, the possibilities are endless.
“Let us work together to harness the potentials of technology and ensure that our elections are truly representative of the will of the Nigerian people.”
At the end of the presentations, winners emerged to cart home cash awards of N300,000, N200,000 and N150,000 for first, second and third positions.
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