Conference: Demography, For a citizen use of numbers

On Friday 2^nd of June 2023 at the Alliance française of Lagos, the French Embassy in Nigeria launched a cycle of 3 conferences with a conference bringing together eminent Nigerian and French experts, exchanging ideas and opinion on a crucial subject for inclusive development and taking a step towards a better understanding of the Nigerian realities.

The debate of ideas occupies a central place within the cooperation mechanism of the French cultural network in Nigeria. In consultation, the services the Institut Français de Recherche en Afrique (IFRA), Alliance française de Lagos, Institut Français du Nigéria, Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and the Service for Cultural Action and Cooperation have drawn up a programme of three debates on demographic dynamics, with the aim of giving a voice to Nigerian and French experts on topical matters.

With an estimated number of 220 million inhabitants, Nigeria the most populated African country. To discuss the demographic reality of Nigeria, and to debate about what constitutes a responsible and social use of statistics, a first conference was organized at the Alliance Française of Lagos on Friday 2^nd of June 2023. Both excellent Nigerian and French experts and researchers were reunited in a 3-hour conference moderated by the journalist Mrs. Tabia PRINCEWILL. During the first part of the conference, Professor François HERAN, Chair for Migration and Societies (Collège de France), had a fruitful exchange with Professor Oka OBONO, Professor of Sociology and Ethnography (University of Ibadan). In a second part, the Director of the National Population Commission, Doctor OSIFO, shared his views regarding the demographic dynamics with two representatives of the civil society: Doctor OKUPE, from the think tank Sahara Centre, and Mr. ADELAKUN, winner of the 2022 World Press Photo Contest. The conference was followed by an exhibition prepared by Universcience titled “8 billion… and after.”

Two other conferences will follow in September (Abuja) and November (Lagos for the yearly event “Night of Ideas”), the first one focusing on education and alternative schooling models proposed by civil society in the face of mass school drop-out; and the second one looking at housing models for the people in relation to the development of urban planning, and the way in which it interacts with cultures, between vernacular architecture and Afro-futurism.

Tags: Development, Demography