NIGERIA: Federal Government to Host 30-Day National Youth Confab In February 2025

By Hamzat Ameenat Aderayo, Lagos, Nigeria 

The Federal Government of Nigeria, under the leadership of President Bola Ahmad Tinubu, has announced February 2025 as the official date for the highly anticipated National Youth Confab, one of the initiatives announced by him, during his Independence Day broadcast on 1st October.

The conference which is designed to span 30 days, aims to tackle pressing issues affecting Nigerian youths, including unemployment, education, and political participation.

President Tinubu emphasised the importance of the initiative during his speech, saying: “The conference seeks to foster meaningful dialogue and empower our young people to actively participate in nation-building. By ensuring their voices shape the policies that affect their lives, we are paving the way for a brighter future.”

However, despite the President’s announcement, the months following the announcement were marked by silence.

This spurred mixed reactions, speculations and criticism from various youth groups such as the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, Yoruba Youth Council, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, and the Ijaw National Congress, who expressed frustration over the delay of the confab.

In response to the criticism, the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, disclosed on Saturday that the Youth Confab would commence in February 2025.

Minister Olawande also outlined the structure of the confab, which will begin with three weeks of grassroots consultations across the country.

Meanwhile, delegates will also engage youths in federal constituencies, states, and local government areas before eventually converging in Abuja for the final week of the confab.

“This is not going to be the usual conference. We are prioritizing grassroots engagement to ensure the challenges faced by our young people are addressed directly. President Tinubu has also approved the inauguration of selected delegates by mid-January to ensure a seamless process.”Olawande said

The Minister also highlighted that the event would focus on practical outcomes rather than mere roundtable discussions, stating that committees are being set up with clear templates to guide the process.

“As of now, we are setting up committees and giving them templates. We need to go back to where the challenges are the grassroots. We will not have the same people in various youth organisations who have always been there for a long time and just recruit them for the confab. We don’t think that is the right step this time around,” the minister added.