In Pictures: Here’s what AI said Nigeria future may look like as citizens go to the polls
Nigeria is at a crossroads, and the 2023 general elections have been regarded by political pundits and economists alike as a deciding factor needed to begin the necessary revival and rebuilding of a country that many consider to have been ticking the boxes of failure for a long time.
From almost every measurable metric of determining a thriving nation, Nigeria has long been on a steady decline. From security, where over 7,000 people lost their lives to insurgency in 2022, to healthcare, education, and the economy, the nation needs an urgent turnaround from its numerous problems. However, a delayed solution will result in a predictable future of continued degradation or stagnation, as an AI-powered project recently correlated.
Neusroom, with the creative support of X3M Ideas, one of Africa’s leading full-service marketing communications agencies, launched an awareness and voter sensitisation campaign on Wednesday, February 22, 2023, aimed at increasing voter turnout in the upcoming elections. Using Mid Journey, an image-generating Artificial Intelligence (AI) platform, images of what Nigeria will look like in the nearest future were generated. The results returned depict a future of underdevelopment or what could be seen as stagnated growth. Mike Miller, Executive Creative Director, X3M Ideas said that the results generated “were not desirable for the kind of country we want Nigeria to be in the future.”
Trained with data from Nigeria’s past and present growth, the troubling AI-powered pictures cannot be wished away. For context, Nigeria’s GDP per Capita has been on the decline since 2014 when it reached an all-time high of $3,200. This shows that Nigeria’s economic growth is not measuring up to population growth, a reality that if left unchecked will throw more people below the poverty line. These AI pictorial depictions should be taken more seriously, as the trajectory of the unemployment rate has worsened in the last three decades. In 1986, less than 5% of Nigerians were without a job, compared to 33.3% (23.18 million people) as of 2020. It is even more worrisome, knowing that out of over 200 million people, 133 million are multidimensionally poor, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics.
But it is not all gloom, as the rebuilding and repositioning process which can be inspired by a credible leader can avert the undesired projections. In a democratic government, elections offer the opportunity for leaders, with an understanding of key factors that can fast-track growth, to be elected into public office. When citizens participate in the selection process of their country, it not only allows them the consciousness to ensure that those they voted for are performing well but offers the chance for credible leaders to be elected.
In the 2019 Presidential election, 35% of registered voters voted. If a similar figure is realised on Saturday, February 25, 2023, when Nigerians will elect a new set of national leaders, such turnout will send a message that Nigerians are unconcerned about the state of the nation. The youths, who make up 39.65% (37 million) of the 93.4 million registered voters in the 2023 elections, can seize the opportunity to elect leaders who are aligned with 21st-century innovations that can alleviate poverty and create jobs for them.
In recent times, Nigerian youth has witnessed some hard times, from the EndSARS protest in 2020, worsening unemployment rate, and police brutality to the current fuel and Naira scarcity, which have grounded many of their businesses. The words of Trent Reznor, an American musician, that “Today’s political climate does not allow the luxury of apathy” cannot be more true for youths living in Nigeria.
However, the capacity of the youths to influence the elections through their numbers comes with the responsibility of making informed decisions. Michael Orodare, Editorial Lead at Neusroom, captures the essence of youths using their voting power to bring reforms.
He said, “It is not enough to have the right to vote as a registered voter. What is more important is to utilize the right to bring reform into the government by choosing leaders who will deliver a working future for all.”
In a nation that is multi-ethnic and multi-religious, voting on tribal, religious, or political lines might not produce a leader committed to national development. As millions of Nigerian youths head to the polls on Saturday, it is necessary to bear in mind that the way to outturn these worrying AI predictions lies in electing leaders with track records, the capacity to serve, and the willingness to be held accountable.
