The Young Men’s Christian Association of Lagos (YMCA) has called for stronger collaboration between older and younger generations to harness the opportunities offered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) while empowering young people to become agents of change in their communities.

The call was made during the YMCA Lagos 62nd yearly general meeting with the theme ‘Bridging the Generations in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.’

Chief Executive Officer of YMCA Lagos, Aduragbemi Onilude, said the association remained committed to its vision of “Empowering Young People for the African Renaissance” through leadership development, vocational training, scholarships and community-based initiatives.

According to him, the organisation recently trained and certified 30 young people as community activists and awarded scholarships to 31 tertiary students to support their educational pursuits.

Chairman of YMCA Lagos, Raphael Ade, also stressed the need for continuous learning and adaptation in an increasingly technology-driven world, while reiterating that the government must take the lead in addressing insecurity and protecting citizens.

Special Guest Speaker and AI advocate Omolaja Shoniran urged older generations to embrace emerging technologies, while encouraging Gen Z and younger Nigerians to remain open to learning from older generations’ experiences.

He described Artificial Intelligence as a transformative tool capable of improving productivity, enhancing decision-making, creating new jobs and driving innovation across sectors such as education, healthcare, agriculture, finance and security.

Shoniran noted that AI-powered tools, including drones, surveillance systems and data analytics, could significantly strengthen Nigeria’s fight against insecurity by improving intelligence gathering and crime detection.

The scholarship beneficiaries also shared their aspirations, with Mass Communication student Arigbede Oluwademilade pledging to promote positive social values through strategic communication, while University of Lagos Chemistry student Olotu Temitope expressed his commitment to developing biodegradable alternatives to plastics to combat environmental pollution

Among the highlights of the AGM was the presentation of certificates to participants in the YMCA Active Citizens Programme, who implemented projects including health outreaches, environmental sanitation campaigns, and community sensitisation initiatives.