Stakeholders Push AI-powered Public Hearings To Deepen Citizens’ Participation In Lawmaking

Stakeholders have called for the adoption of technology-enabled public hearings in Nigeria.

They said digital tools and artificial intelligence (AI) can make the legislative process more inclusive, transparent and accessible to Nigerians.

The call was made during a strategic dialogue themed, “Expanding Legislative Participation Through Technology-enabled Public Hearings in Nigeria,” organised by Tunani Initiative in partnership with the Youth Democracy Network (YDN).

The dialogue brought together lawmakers, civil society organisations, civic technology experts and democracy practitioners to examine how technology can strengthen public participation in the lawmaking process.

At the event, the chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Media and Public Affairs and House spokesperson, Hon. Akin Rotimi, said the National Assembly had introduced measures such as live streaming of proceedings and sign language interpretation to improve accessibility. He, however, noted that existing legislative rules still require physical submission of memoranda during public hearings, making legal and procedural reforms necessary to accommodate wider digital participation.

Rotimi also expressed support for piloting technology-enabled public hearings through selected House committees before expanding the initiative nationwide.

The dialogue also featured presentations by civic technology contributor Cui Jia Wei Peter and digital democracy researcher Joshua C. Yang of Taiwan’s vTaiwan initiative.

They demonstrated how AI-assisted public deliberation platforms have enabled citizens to contribute to policymaking through online voting, structured dialogue and consensus-building.

They stressed that while technology remains an important tool, successful public participation depends on designing processes that build trust and reflect local realities.

The executive director of Tunani Initiative, Mairo Ibrahim, said the dialogue was convened to identify practical ways of removing barriers that prevent citizens, particularly young people, from participating effectively in legislative processes.

She said the engagement also aimed at developing practical recommendations for more inclusive public participation in lawmaking.

Representing the Youth Democracy Network, David Ibanez, said the organisation, which operates in more than 80 countries, supports democratic initiatives that promote citizen participation and youth engagement through innovation and technology.

Also, Omoniyi Lawson said any digital transformation of Nigeria’s public hearing process must be guided by three key principles of access, trust and evidence.

According to him, “Technology should not merely digitise existing processes but should improve participation while protecting citizens’ privacy, security and confidence in democratic institutions.”

Presenting an overview of Nigeria’s public hearing system, the co-director of the Stand to End Rape Initiative (STER), Dr Mercy Kwabe, identified geographical limitations, language barriers, short notice periods, poor public awareness and low digital literacy as major obstacles to effective citizen participation.

She recommended institutionalising hybrid public hearings, deploying AI-powered translation tools and strengthening digital infrastructure to broaden public access to legislative processes.

During the interactive session, the participants, including Dr. Philip Mustafa, Andrea Kwen and Joy Agashua, highlighted concerns about adapting similar digital participation models to Nigeria’s multilingual and multicultural environment.

They emphasised the need to improve digital literacy, internet connectivity and accessibility for rural communities while ensuring that citizens’ contributions have a meaningful impact on legislative decisions