The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has described media literacy as a vaccine against misinformation, urging parents to equip their children with digital literacy.
Idris said this in Kaduna on Saturday at the 20th Annual Ramadan Lecture, themed ‘Digital Technology and the Moral Future of the Youth’.
He said, “Disinformation has become a form of political warfare, endorsing trust and deepening suspicion.
“Our youth are raised in an environment where information is abundant but wisdom is scarce. Boundaries between public and private spaces have actually collapsed.
“They navigate the landscape in search of validation.
“Here, Islam speaks to the urgent relevance. Allah commands us that All you who have believed, if there comes to you a disobedient one with information, investigate lest you harm any people out of ignorance and become regretful.”
According to the minister, Nigeria is the first host of the first-ever Media and Information Literacy Centre to be hosted by any country in the world.
Idris said, “And it’s going to be unveiled by the end of March by President Bola Tinubu, and the Director General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
“This is the first centre anywhere in the world where people can be taught how to navigate this digital truth.
“Because it’s not just enough for you to be literate, it is important that you are digitally literate.
“And this will help our young men and women to navigate this complex way of digital media or new media.”
The minister said the theme of the lecture addressed the most powerful force shaping human consciousness.
“We stand at the intersection of rapid technological change and timeless moral truth. Our challenge is navigating this, guided by the Quran and the Sunnah, which remains sufficient for every generation.”
According to Idris, the Holy Quran reminds all of us of the responsibility placed upon the young people.
He added, “By the way, Nigeria is predominantly young people. About 70 per cent of our population is under the age of 35.
“So, when any lecture is targeted at this youth, you will understand that there is, of course, a need for them to have this moral guidance.
“When Allah speaks of the Companions of the Cave, He describes them as young men who believe in their Lord. And He includes them in guidance.”
According to him, youthfulness is not nonsense for moral freedom, but it is an opportunity for moral greatness. Islam views the young as fully accountable and trusted with shaping the world.
“Our tradition, therefore, teaches that youth is no exemption from duty. Nigeria is placed among the youngest populations on earth. Like I said earlier, nearly 70 per cent are under the age of 35.
“This represents an endowment of energy and of potential. The question is whether we equip and guide them to discharge this responsibility responsibly.
“As a representative of this administration that places youth at the centre of national renewal, I address the youth of Nigeria directly,” the minister said.
According to Idris, the digital revolution is shaping how value is created.
Recognizing this, President Bola Tinubu’s administration has made digital technology a strategic platform for youth empowerment.
The minister outlined key programs translating digital opportunity into tangible empowerment.
He added, “First, the administration of President Bola Tinubu has introduced what is called the 3MT program.
“That’s a pipeline for connecting trained youth to real economic opportunities as employees, as global freelancers, or as founders.
“Today, many of our youth are at the centre of the digital revolution, not just in Nigeria, but on the global stage.
“Second, the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFund) removes barriers to higher education by ensuring that no Nigerian young man or woman is turned away from school due to family circumstances.
“Today, over 900,000 of our young men and women are in various universities and digital institutions on account of this policy of President Bola Tinubu.
“In the past, we had a situation where some of these young men and women were unable to attend higher education simply on account of the inability of their parents or guardians to pay for their tuition fees and for their upkeep.
That is now gone.”
He said that Tinubu had said anyone who had the requisite qualification and who had applied to be a beneficiary of NELFund so that they can attend higher education was able to do so without any respect to where they come from or their political affiliation, regardless of that of their parents.
“Third, the presidential CNG initiative creates thousands of jobs for young mechanics and entrepreneurs, demonstrating how technology unlocks opportunity even in traditional sectors.
“Fourth, the Green Hope infrastructure projects on the coastal highway to the Sokoto-Badagry expressway provide immediate employment for youth in construction and engineering.
“There are so many of them that I cannot recount. But most importantly, UNESCO has designated Nigeria as a host for Africa’s first media and information literacy institute,” Idris added.
He said this would enable the youths to be equipped with critical thinking to navigate the digital landscape.
According to him, this administration, under the guidance of Tinubu, remains committed to ensuring digital technology serves our moral and material advancement, not a source of destruction.
“But the government alone cannot navigate this terrain. Parents, teachers, religious leaders, and young people themselves must embrace the responsibility of discernment,” Idris said.
Also speaking, the Minister of Livestock Development, Malam Idi Mukhtar, said the theme of this year’s lecture was not only apt but also incredibly urgent.
Mukhtar said, “We live in an era defined by unprecedented technological advancements, where the digital world has become an indisputable part of our daily lives.
“While technology offers immense opportunities for learning and connection, it also presents profound challenges, particularly to the moral and ethical environment developed by our youth.
“The potential for what the user has rightly termed the evil impulse of digital technology or the morality and well-being of the ummah, and our youth in particular, is a matter of great concern.
“This lecture series, by dedicating the 20th anniversary to this critical issue, once again demonstrates its relevance and commitment to addressing the most pressing challenges of our time.”
The historic event was also attended by the Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Malam Ali M. Ali.
(NAN)
