Nigeria to Host Landmark Youth Creative Conference 2025 in Abuja

Maryam Aminu

In a bold step to position young Africans at the forefront of peacebuilding and innovation, Nigeria has announced plans to host the Youth Creative Conference (YCC) 2025, a high-profile gathering of over 1,000 youth leaders and delegates from across Africa and the diaspora.

Scheduled for October 22–23, 2025, at the ECOWAS Headquarters, Abuja, the conference will be held under the theme “Silencing the Guns: Pathway for Peacebuilding in Africa”. It is jointly organized by the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, the African Union (AU), and the YCC Organizing Committee.

Speaking on the significance of the event, the Honourable Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, described the conference as a strategic platform aligned with the African Union Agenda 2063, President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, and Nigeria’s foreign policy pillars of the Four DAs Democracy, Diaspora, Development, and Diplomacy

“With 70% of Nigeria’s population made up of young people, we recognize their potential as peacebuilders, innovators, and architects of Africa’s future. This conference provides a vital platform for youth-led dialogue, creative exchange, and inclusive development,” the Minister stated.

The event’s key objectives include:

Empowering African youth to champion peacebuilding and sustainable development.

Promoting innovation, entrepreneurship, and good governance.

Strengthening regional and international partnerships for youth-led development and peace.

The Minister further reaffirmed Nigeria’s leadership in peace and regional solidarity, citing the country’s mediation roles in Libya, Syria, and The Gambia, as well as contributions to security, governance reforms, climate action, digital transformation, and inclusive education.

Convener of the YCC Initiative, Blaize-Kizito Ndukwe, praised the growing continental recognition of the platform just months after its launch, noting that it leverages creativity as a tool for non-violent conflict resolution. Similarly, Mr. Ernest Nya Dolo, Coordinator of the AU’s Silencing the Guns Unit, stressed the importance of youth in building a conflict-free Africa

“Youth are not just the future, they are the present. By partnering with young people across the continent, we are laying the foundation for sustainable peace and inclusive development.”

The Silencing the Guns initiative, backed by a Master Roadmap of Practical Steps, continues to engage youth alongside governments, civil society, traditional leaders, and regional blocs to drive peace across the continent.

The Federal Ministry of Youth Development and its partners have called for continued collaboration to empower African youth as agents of peace, unity, and prosperity.