…urges young Nigerians to turn dialogue into action
The Federal Government on Friday formally opened the National Youth Confab 2026 in Abuja, urging young Nigerians to move beyond discussions and develop practical solutions to the challenges confronting them.
The Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, who declared the confab open at the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) Auditorium, Abuja, said the gathering should serve as a platform for young Nigerians to exchange ideas, identify opportunities and challenges, and contribute to policies and programmes affecting their lives.
The minister spoke in a statement issued by the Director of Information and Public Relations in the ministry, Omolara Esan.
Olawande described young Nigerians as one of the country’s greatest assets, citing their contributions to entrepreneurship, technology, the creative economy, civic engagement, innovation and community development.
He, however, acknowledged the challenges facing young people in employment, skills development, access to finance, education, digital inclusion, entrepreneurship, peace and security, as well as access to opportunities.
According to him, addressing these challenges requires coordinated action by the government and other stakeholders.
The minister urged delegates to go beyond identifying problems and develop realistic recommendations, partnerships and measurable actions that could translate the deliberations into stronger programmes, improved access to opportunities and greater accountability.
He also called on the private sector, development partners, civil society organisations and youth-led organisations to strengthen collaboration with the government in expanding opportunities for young Nigerians across the country.
Olawande assured participants that the Federal Ministry of Youth Development would continue to provide platforms for young Nigerians to participate meaningfully in shaping policies and programmes that affect them.
He urged delegates to take ownership of the confab by engaging, questioning, proposing and collaborating, expressing confidence that the deliberations would produce outcomes capable of being translated into meaningful action.
The Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr Maryam Ismaila Keshinro, also stressed the importance of meaningful youth participation in national development.
She said the confab provided an opportunity for young Nigerians to shape conversations and policies around leadership, governance, jobs, entrepreneurship, education, digital skills, peacebuilding and national unity.
Keshinro equally urged participants to move beyond discussions and translate their ideas into practical and measurable actions.
The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Olakunle Olaseye Nafiu, commended the Federal Government for convening the confab, describing it as a timely platform for harnessing the ideas, energy and potential of Nigeria’s young population.
He noted that with young people constituting a significant proportion of the country’s population, their inclusion in national conversations and decision-making processes remained critical to Nigeria’s development.
Similarly, the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, CCIE, highlighted the use of technology and artificial intelligence in capturing, analysing and categorising ideas and concerns raised by young Nigerians at the confab.
He said the initiative would support meaningful youth participation and provide evidence that could inform policies reflecting the aspirations and expectations of young Nigerians.
The World Bank’s Lead Agricultural Economist for West and Central Africa, Dr Hardwick Tchale, described young people as a national asset, stressing the need to engage them in national development and harness their skills and potential for the country’s progress.
He wished the ministry and other stakeholders successful deliberations.
Also speaking, the Director of the Centre for Gender Studies and Youth Advancement, University of Abuja, Prof. Magdalene Igbolo, highlighted the importance of the revived Commonwealth Youth Programme in building the capacity of youth development professionals.
She said the postgraduate programme was designed to equip practitioners with the knowledge and skills required to engage young people effectively and strengthen the professionalisation of the youth development sector.
The Speaker of the Nigerian Youth Parliament, Hon. Aliyu Idris Zakari, called for meaningful and sustained youth participation in governance and decision-making.
Zakari said young Nigerians should not be regarded merely as leaders of tomorrow but as active partners and contributors to national development today.
The President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Comrade Akinteye Babatunde Afeez, also called for greater attention to education, employment, skills development, digital innovation, entrepreneurship and youth participation in governance.
He urged stakeholders to ensure that the outcomes of the confab translated into policies and programmes capable of improving the lives of young Nigerians.
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