Maryam Aminu
The Federal Government has challenged young Nigerians to ensure that the National Youth Confab 2026 does not end with speeches and resolutions, but produces practical ideas that can translate into opportunities and measurable improvements in their lives.
The Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, gave the charge on Friday while declaring the 2026 National Youth Confab open at the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) Auditorium in Abuja.
Olawande said the gathering should serve as a working platform where young Nigerians could openly examine the issues affecting them, propose solutions and contribute to policies and programmes that shape their future.
He acknowledged that young people continue to face challenges ranging from unemployment and inadequate skills to limited access to finance, education, digital opportunities and entrepreneurship, as well as concerns around peace and security.
Rather than simply listing these challenges, the minister urged delegates to come up with realistic recommendations, partnerships and clear actions that government and other stakeholders can implement.
He also called for stronger collaboration among government, the private sector, development partners, civil society organisations and youth-led groups to widen opportunities for young Nigerians across the country.
According to him, the Federal Ministry of Youth Development would continue to create platforms that give young people a voice in policies and programmes affecting their lives.
He therefore urged delegates to take ownership of the Confab by speaking up, asking difficult questions, proposing workable solutions and building partnerships, expressing confidence that the discussions would produce outcomes capable of moving from the conference hall into action.
The Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr. Maryam Ismaila Keshinro, reinforced the call for meaningful youth participation, saying young Nigerians must have a role in shaping conversations around leadership, governance, jobs, entrepreneurship, education, digital skills, peacebuilding and national unity.
Keshinro urged participants to ensure that their ideas were not left as conference resolutions but were developed 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 bringing young Nigerians together, describing the Confab as an opportunity to harness their energy, ideas and potential for national development.
He noted that the large youth population in Nigeria made their inclusion in national conversations and decision-making essential to the country’s progress.
Technology is also playing a role in the effort to capture the voices emerging from the Confab.
The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, said technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) were being used to capture, analyse and categorise ideas and concerns raised by young Nigerians.
He said the process would provide evidence that could help policymakers better understand the priorities of young people and develop policies that reflect their aspirations.
For Dr. Hardwick Tchale, Lead Agricultural Economist for West and Central Africa at the World Bank, the focus should remain on recognising young people as an important national asset and creating avenues for their skills and potential to contribute to Nigeria’s development.
He wished the Ministry and other stakeholders successful deliberations.
Prof. Magdalene Igbolo, Director, Centre for Gender Studies and Youth Advancement, University of Abuja, meanwhile, highlighted the role of the revived Commonwealth Youth Programme in strengthening the capacity of professionals working in youth development.
She said the postgraduate programme would equip practitioners with the knowledge and skills required to engage young people effectively and contribute to the professionalisation of the youth development sector.
The Speaker of the Nigerian Youth Parliament, Hon. Aliyu Idris Zakari, called for a shift in how young Nigerians are viewed in national affairs, arguing that they should not be treated only as leaders of tomorrow but as partners in development today.
Also speaking, the President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Dist. Comr. Akinteye Babatunde Afeez, called for greater attention to education, employment, skills development, digital innovation and entrepreneurship, alongside meaningful youth participation in governance.
Afeez stressed that the real test of the Confab would be whether its outcomes eventually translate into policies and programmes that make a tangible difference in the lives of young Nigerians.
