Centre for Digitization of Indigenous African Languages (CDIAL) to Hold Panel session at 2022 Social Media Week
The Centre for Digitization of Indigenous African Languages (CDIAL) will, on Wednesday, March 2, 2022, hold a panel session at the 2022 social media week with the theme "Localizing Digital, Digitizing Local: making the case for Indigenous Language Policy."
The 4th Industrial Revolution is taking over the world, altering lives, work and human-machine interaction. Unlike anything, the transformation is expanding, creating opportunities and improving lives in its wake. However, a substantial digital divide limits the potential of Africans to maximize these opportunities. According to Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA), only about 1% of all indigenous African languages are available digitally. According to the 2021 Mo Ibrahim Forum Report, 82% of Sub-Saharan Africans, the majority of youth and rural populations, have limited internet access to effectively learn, interact, and create digitally compared to their contemporaries across the world.
As a result of this, CDIAL will Hold a panel session at the 2022 Social Media Week that will offer insights into the potential benefits of localized digital platforms to African citizens and businesses, from startups to large corporations, especially in the creative, healthcare, financial and agricultural sectors.
In a statement by the founder of CDIAL, Yinka Iyinolakan, he noted that “the Centre for Digitization of Indigenous African Languages will utilize a multi-dimensional approach to explore the potentials of digitized local languages to amplify opportunities within Africa in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).” In addition, the panel will discuss why Nigeria's localized language policy is due.
The panelists include the founder of CDIAL, Yinka Iyinolakan, Oyelakin Omolewu, Manager, Brand Events and Sponsorships, Stanbic IBTC Holdings and Dr Na’ima Idris, a medical doctor and health advocate. Others are Shona Olalere, Lead, Partnerships and Policy CDIAL and Yadichinma Ukoha-kalu, Artist and illustrator. The panelists understand that diversity fosters innovation and will share insights and best practices on how young women and men can stand out and utilize their variety in the constantly expanding digital ecosystem.
The event will take place at the NXT Tech stage innovation pavilion on Wednesday, March 2, 2022
Register to attend at CDIAL@AfricaNXT2022
