Nigerian Youths Can Drive National Defense, Security, and Development – Badaru

By Emmanuel Daudu

The Honourable Minister of Defence, Mohammed Abubakar Badaru, has underscored the crucial role that Nigerian youths can play in advancing national defense, security, and development through strategic empowerment and government policies.

Speaking at a lecture titled “Leveraging Nigeria’s Digital Economy to Enhance National Security: Youth Empowerment and Job Creation” for participants of Executive Course 46 at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies in Kuru, Badaru emphasized the strong connection between youth empowerment, national security, and the digital economy.

Represented by his Special Adviser (Technical), Major General A.T. Jibrin (Rtd), he stressed the importance of effective implementation of government programs to unlock the potential of young Nigerians as catalysts for positive change.

He pointed to existing programs, such as the Graduate Internship Scheme (GIS), Youth Initiative for Sustainable Agriculture in Nigeria (YISA), Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P), Youth Enterprise with Innovation in Nigeria (YouWIN), National Directorate of Employment (NDE), and N-Power.

Badaru asserted that these initiatives could significantly transform Nigerian youths into drivers of national development if properly executed.

With over 60% of Nigeria’s population under the age of 25, Badaru highlighted the critical need to harness this demographic dividend.

Citing the impact of digital mobilization during events like the Arab Spring and Nigeria’s #ENDSARS protests, he stressed the importance of constructive youth engagement in national discourse.

The Minister acknowledged the limitations of past empowerment programs and called for their faithful and consistent implementation.

He emphasized that genuine youth empowerment is essential to strengthening national defense and security.

Badaru also discussed the vast opportunities for youth empowerment and job creation within Nigeria’s burgeoning digital economy.

The Minister called for collaboration among multiple stakeholders, targeted interventions, and supportive policies to address challenges such as the digital divide, skills gap, and unemployment.

“By investing in digital infrastructure, fostering innovation, enhancing skills development, and promoting entrepreneurship, Nigeria can unlock the transformative potential of its youth demographic, drive sustainable economic growth, and ensure a safer, more secure future for its citizens,” he added.