By Stella Odueme
The Federal Government has announced plans to convene the National Youth Confab 2026 in October, with one youth delegate expected from each of Nigeria’s 360 federal constituencies, alongside six representatives of Nigerians in the diaspora and other relevant stakeholders.
The Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, disclosed this on Thursday at a press conference held in Abuja, to herald the national youth engagement.
Themed “Next Gen Nigeria: Crafting Solutions, Owning the Future,” the two-week Confab will begin with a nationwide virtual consultation before proceeding to a physical conference in Abuja.
According to a statement by the Director, Information and Public Relations, Omolara Esan, Olawande said the initiative was designed to provide young Nigerians aged 18 to 35 with a platform to articulate their concerns, present policy proposals and contribute practical solutions to the challenges confronting the country.
He emphasised the need for youths to move beyond conversations and focus on developing actionable solutions to national 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,” he said.
According to the Minister, discussions at the Confab will focus on 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.
He said the engagement was intended to produce tangible outcomes, stressing that it would provide an opportunity to listen, engage, cooperate and move from conversation to concrete action.
To ensure effective implementation of the outcomes, Olawande disclosed that the Federal Government would establish a Multi-Stakeholder Youth Confab Taskforce, Youth Confab Impact Index, and a youth-led monitoring and accountability framework.
He 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, Federal Ministry of Youth Development and Chairman of the National Youth Confab Committee, Dr. Maryam Ismaila Keshinro, described the initiative as an important opportunity to deepen youth participation in national development.
Keshinro urged young Nigerians and relevant stakeholders to embrace the process and contribute meaningfully to the achievement of the Confab’s objectives.
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.
