By Nnasom David

The El Echad Foundation has reiterated the importance of youth engagement and digital empowerment in fostering inclusive governance across West Africa.

Representing Nigeria at the Regional Conference on Sustainable Participation of Youth in Governance in the ECOWAS Region, Miss Favour Ugwumba, Co-founder and Executive Director of the foundation, joined other regional delegates in Accra, Ghana, to chart a path toward deeper youth participation in democratic processes.

The three-day conference, held from May 7 to 9, 2025, was convened by the ECOWAS Commission’s Department of Political Affairs, Peace, and Security (PAPS) in collaboration with the West Africa Democracy Solidarity Network (WADEMOS).

Themed “Harnessing Youth Agency in Deepening Democratic Governance and Inclusive Development,” the gathering sought to promote youth-led initiatives and craft actionable strategies for embedding young voices in governance structures across the subregion.

Miss Ugwumba used the platform to advocate for the creation and integration of civic education programs in local languages within school curricula.

Her proposals emphasized teaching best civic practices and educating citizens on appropriate channels for reporting governance-related challenges.

In addition, she highlighted the need for targeted capacity-building workshops for women and youth, aimed at fostering economic stability and reducing the influence of voter suppression and vote-buying during elections.

These initiatives, she noted, are critical to building resilient democratic systems.

Addressing the growing threats posed by misinformation and disinformation, she presented the El Echad Foundation’s “ICT and Coding for Beginners Project” as a practical grassroots solution for improving digital literacy.

She called for increased support to replicate and expand such programs across West Africa, framing digital inclusion as key to informed civic participation.

Her contributions also underscored the transformative power of social media as a tool for advocacy, mobilization, and empowering women in politics.

She urged ECOWAS member states to enact legal and institutional safeguards that protect young activists and civic actors, ensuring safe and sustained youth engagement in democratic governance.

The conference brought together youth leaders, policymakers, civil society actors, and development partners, reinforcing a regional commitment to bridging the gap between young citizens and governance institutions through innovation, inclusion, and reform.