The Federal Government has announced October as the new date for the long-awaited National Youth Conference, with young Nigerians from the country’s 360 federal constituencies expected to participate.
The two-week event is being organised to give young people a greater role in national conversations, policy development and decisions affecting their future.
The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Youth Development and Chairman of the National Youth Conference Planning Committee, Olubunmi Olusanya, disclosed the latest plan in a statement issued on Wednesday.
According to him, the conference will begin with a nationwide virtual consultation involving Nigerians between the ages of 18 and 35, including young Nigerians living abroad.
Participants will have the opportunity to submit memoranda, ideas and policy proposals through an online platform before the physical gathering in Abuja.
The second phase will involve a physical conference in Abuja, where one youth delegate will represent each of Nigeria’s 360 federal constituencies. Six additional delegates from the diaspora, alongside stakeholders and observers, are also expected to participate.
Olusanya said the initiative was designed to move youth engagement beyond mere consultation by providing a structured avenue for young Nigerians to identify challenges, suggest workable solutions and make recommendations that could influence government policy.
The conference will address a range of issues considered critical to Nigeria’s development. These include governance and political participation, entrepreneurship and employment, education and future skills, technology and digital innovation, climate change and energy transition, as well as social cohesion and security.
Participants are also expected to take part in expert discussions, policy sessions, an innovation showcase and networking activities. Recommendations emerging from the deliberations will subsequently be presented to President Bola Tinubu and relevant government institutions.
The organisers said the selection of delegates would follow an open and transparent process, with consideration given to merit, grassroots representation, gender balance and regional inclusion.
Persons with disabilities and other marginalised groups are also expected to be represented in the process.
State ministries responsible for youth affairs will work alongside the national planning committee to coordinate nominations and registration across the states.
The National Youth Conference was initially announced by President Tinubu on October 1, 2024, when he proposed a 30-day engagement with Nigerian youths.
The Federal Government had subsequently indicated that the conference would begin in February 2025, following three weeks of grassroots consultations and a final week of deliberations by youth delegates in Abuja. That schedule, however, was not implemented.
In March 2025, the President inaugurated a 44-member committee to oversee preparations for the conference, while a registration portal was launched in June.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, has urged young Nigerians to participate actively in the consultation process.
He encouraged youths to submit practical ideas and proposals capable of addressing the challenges facing the country and contributing to national development.
The minister stressed that the conference should serve as more than a forum for discussion, describing it as an opportunity for young Nigerians to influence policy and demand accountability for agreed outcomes.
Eligible Nigerians interested in participating are expected to register through the National Youth Conference portal operated by the Ministry of Youth Development.
