Group lauds youths’ commitment to inclusive development, national transformation
By Our Correspondent
LEAP Africa, an NGO, has expressed confidence that Nigerian youths are dedicated to driving inclusive development, open governance and youth-led national transformation.
LEAP Programme and Policy Coordinator, Mr Haruna Godiya, gave the commendation while addressing a news conference on Friday in Abuja.
The conference was organised by Nigeria Youth Futures Fund (NYFF) on the upcoming 2025 National Youth Day with the team, ” Local Youth Action for SDGs and beyond’’.
Godiya said that the theme captured a defining reality that the world was changing faster than ever, and that young people were not just responding to the changes, but leading it.
According to him, youths are in the heart of the rapidly changing world, adding that in the face of the shift, young people stand as innovators, entrepreneurs and civic leaders.
‘’Across the globe, technological advancement, artificial intelligence, renewable energy, digital finance and technology are reshaping economies, societies and future of work.
“In the face of this shift, young people stand as innovators, entrepreneurs and civic leaders.
“In Nigeria where over 60 per cent of the population are under 30 years old, youths are driving social transformation at the grassroots, building status and leading advocacies for justice.
“They are also designing technological solutions and mobilising communities around the SDG.
‘’Their creativity underscores the fact that no sustainable progress can occur without youth leadership, inclusion and government’s efforts,” he said.
Godiya also commended the Federal Government for efforts at supporting youth empowerment through programmes such as the Nigerian Education Loans Fund, Nigerian Youth Academy and Nigerian Youth Investment Funds.
He said that, while the initiatives were to address the challenges of unemployment, education access and digital scale development, youths must be carried along to have the desired impact.
“We therefore, urge the government to institutionalise youth representation and accountability mechanisms within these programmes,” he said.
In his remarks, the Project Director, NYFF, Dr Onyeche Agbiti-Douglas stressed the need for youths to improve on themselves to take up leadership positions.
She called for a united action, saying it is high time the youths held political leaders and the older generations accountable.
She also called for a one-week action on the implementation of policies and programmes that affected youths, saying, ‘’There is need to break the stereotype.’’
The conference brought together youth-led organisations, networks and other stakeholders and highlighted pressing youth concerns around policy, transparency, and participation.
It also presented the vision for a new Youth Advocacy Coalition to drive sustained engagement on youth policy reform.
The NYFF is a response to an urgent need to provide technical and financial support to burgeoning youth-led movements in Nigeria, with the aim of sustaining their work and facilitating opportunities for learning. (https://newsatlarge.ng)
