Young Nigerians are not merely leaders of tomorrow; they are partners in nation building today. Their ideas, experiences and participation are essential to the progress of our country
By Mmesoma Onwuka
The Federal Government has announced plans to convene the National Youth Confab 2026 in October, with young Nigerians from each of the country’s 360 federal constituencies expected to participate.
The two-week engagement will also feature six representatives of Nigerians in the diaspora, alongside other stakeholders, as the government seeks to deepen youth participation in national development.
The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, disclosed this on Thursday at a press conference held at the Press Gallery of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, where he announced details of the conference.
The Confab, themed “Next Gen Nigeria: Crafting Solutions, Owning the Future,” will commence with a nationwide virtual consultation before participants converge on Abuja for the physical conference.
Olawande said the initiative was designed to provide Nigerians between the ages of 18 and 35 with a platform to articulate issues affecting their generation, propose policies and develop practical solutions to some of the country’s challenges.
“Young Nigerians are not merely leaders of tomorrow; they are partners in nation building today. Their ideas, experiences and participation are essential to the progress of our country,” the minister said.
He explained that participants would deliberate on critical areas including governance and leadership, economic transformation and job creation, education and skills development, technology and innovation, climate change and energy transition, as well as social harmony and security.
According to him, the Federal Government is determined to ensure that the Confab produces measurable outcomes rather than becoming another platform for discussions without implementation.
“This is an opportunity to listen, engage, cooperate and move from conversation to concrete action,” Olawande said.
To ensure that resolutions reached at the Confab are sustained and implemented, the minister said the government would establish several mechanisms, including a Multi-Stakeholder Youth Confab Taskforce, Youth Confab Impact Index and a youth-led monitoring and accountability framework.
He urged young Nigerians across the 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory and the diaspora to participate actively in the process by submitting their ideas, proposals and experiences.
“The Federal Ministry of Youth Development is ready to listen, and the Federal Government is ready to engage. We are calling on young Nigerians to step forward and join us in shaping the Nigeria of today and the Nigeria of tomorrow,” he said.
In her welcome address, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Youth Development and Chairman of the National Youth Confab Committee, Dr. Maryam Ismaila Keshinro, described the initiative as an opportunity to strengthen youth participation in national development.
Keshinro said the Confab would provide young Nigerians with an avenue to actively contribute to the development of solutions to challenges affecting their generation.
She called on young people and other stakeholders to embrace the process and make meaningful contributions towards achieving the objectives of the conference.
Also speaking, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Digital Media, Otega Ogra, commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the initiative and members of the National Youth Confab Committee for accepting the responsibility of translating the President’s vision for young Nigerians into a meaningful national engagement.
Ogra said the administration had continued to create opportunities for young Nigerians to occupy critical positions and contribute to national development.
“The present government is betting on young Nigerians to move the country forward. We want you to bring your ideas to the Confab. The door is open for Nigerians to tell us how they want the country to be,” he said.
He encouraged young Nigerians to take advantage of the platform to present innovative ideas and practical solutions capable of contributing to Nigeria’s sustainable development.
The statement was signed by Omolara Esan, Director of Information and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Youth Development.