Stakeholders Call for Digital Responsibility at Youth Health Conference

Stakeholders in adolescent and youth health have urged young people to adopt responsible digital habits and build resilience to navigate the opportunities and risks of the online space.

The call was made at the opening ceremony of the 4th Nigeria Conference on Adolescent and Youth Health Development, organised by the Society for Adolescent and Young People’s Health in Nigeria (SAYPHIN).

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Delivering the keynote address on the theme “The Evolving Adolescent and Youth in a Digital Age: Building Resilient Young People in a Changing World,” Kwara State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Amina Ahmed El-Imam, warned that digital addiction can contribute to declining physical activity and poor mental health.

She acknowledged the benefits of technology in fostering social connections and innovation but cautioned against its darker sides, including cyberbullying, fraud, misinformation, stress, and anxiety.

Dr. El-Imam urged youths to cultivate resilience through digital literacy, responsible online engagement, mental strength, and emotional intelligence, defining resilience as “the capacity to adapt positively to adversity and change.”

SAYPHIN President, Professor Adesegun Fatusi, who described the conference as the largest gathering of adolescent and youth health stakeholders in Nigeria noted that while digital technology holds immense potential for development, it also presents serious challenges.

“This conference seeks to position participants to harness the opportunities of technology while addressing the dangers of compulsive and abusive use among young people,” he said.

Chairperson of the Local Organising Committee, Professor Omosivie Maduka, stressed that the event was being organised with adolescents and youths, not just for them, to ensure practical and inclusive solutions to their challenges.

The conference drew participants from across Nigeria, including young people, academics, policymakers, and development partners such as UNICEF, UNFPA, and Girl Effect.