By Faith Anisiobi, The Sight News
The Federal Government is set to convene the National Youth Confab 2026 in October, with one youth delegate expected from each of Nigeria’s 360 federal constituencies.
The Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, disclosed this on Thursday at a press conference to herald the National Youth Confab at the Press Gallery, Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The two-week engagement, themed “Next Gen Nigeria: Crafting Solutions, Owning the Future,” will begin with a nationwide virtual consultation before a physical conference in Abuja.
Olawande said the Confab was designed to provide young Nigerians aged 18 to 35 with an opportunity to articulate their concerns, present policy proposals and develop practical solutions to challenges confronting the country.
“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,” he said.
According to him, the initiative would also include six representatives of Nigerians in the diaspora and other relevant stakeholders.
He said discussions at the Confab would cover governance and leadership; economic transformation and job creation; education and skills development; technology and innovation; climate change and energy transition; and social harmony and security.
The minister stressed that the initiative would focus on translating discussions into tangible outcomes.
“This is an opportunity to listen, engage, cooperate and move from conversation to concrete action,” Olawande said.
He disclosed that a Multi-Stakeholder Youth Confab Taskforce, Youth Confab Impact Index, as well as a youth-led monitoring and accountability framework would be established to sustain the outcomes of the engagement and support implementation.
Olawande called on young Nigerians across the 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory and the diaspora to participate actively 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 ministry and Chairman of the National Youth Confab Committee, Dr Maryam Ismaila Keshinro, described the initiative as an opportunity to deepen youth participation in national development.
Keshinro urged young Nigerians and other stakeholders to embrace the process and contribute meaningfully towards achieving the objectives of the Confab.
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 Confab Committee for undertaking the responsibility of translating the President’s vision for young Nigerians into a 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 urged youths to use the Confab to present innovative ideas and practical solutions that could contribute to the sustainable development of Nigeria.
