By Maryam Aminu
The Federal Government has assured that the 2026 National Youth Confab will not be allowed to become a platform for partisan politics, as the Ministry of Youth Development moves to bring young Nigerians from all 360 federal constituencies and the diaspora into a national conversation on the country’s future.
The Minister of Youth Development, Hon. Ayodele Olawande, gave the assurance on Thursday, 17th September 2026, while addressing journalists on the planned conference, stressing that the exercise must remain focused on the interests, ideas and aspirations of Nigerian youths.
The emphasis on non-partisanship comes against the backdrop of concerns that previous national dialogue processes have not always translated their recommendations into lasting action. The 2014 National Conference, for instance, produced a report with wide-ranging recommendations, but questions have persisted over the extent to which its proposals were implemented.
Olawande said the government was determined to ensure that the National Youth Confab does not become another platform where political interests overshadow the issues confronting young Nigerians.
He said the conference was designed to give youths a genuine opportunity to identify problems, propose solutions and participate in shaping policies that affect their lives, irrespective of political affiliation.
The Confab, themed “Next Gen Nigeria: Crafting Solutions, Owning the Future,” will begin with a nationwide virtual consultation before culminating in a physical conference in Abuja in October.
Young Nigerians between the ages of 18 and 35 will be able to participate in the virtual engagement, submit memoranda and present ideas and policy proposals through the conference’s online platform.
The physical conference will bring together one youth delegate from each of the 360 federal constituencies, alongside six diaspora delegates, stakeholders and observers.
According to the organisers, the selection process will emphasise transparency, merit, grassroots representation, gender balance, regional inclusion, participation of persons with disabilities and representation of marginalised groups.
The conference will focus on six key areas: governance, leadership and political participation; economic transformation, entrepreneurship and job creation; education and skills; technology and digital innovation; climate change and energy transition; and social harmony and security.
Olawande said the objective was not simply to produce another document but to establish a process through which recommendations could be followed up and measured.
To support this, the ministry plans to establish a Multi-Stakeholder Youth Confab Taskforce, a Youth Confab Impact Index, sustained youth policy dialogues and a youth-led monitoring and accountability framework.
The minister urged young Nigerians to take ownership of the process and participate actively, saying the credibility of the Confab would depend largely on whether the voices coming from communities across the country were genuinely reflected in its outcome.
The official conference framework also identifies non-partisanship as a core principle, stating that the Confab is to be insulated from partisan politics so that the collective interests of young Nigerians can remain the focus.
With the 2026 Confab coming at a politically sensitive period, the promise of a non-partisan process is likely to remain an important test of the exercise as delegates are selected and the discussions move from consultation to policy recommendations.
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