The Federal Government has renewed its call for young Nigerians to move from conversation to concrete action as the country commemorates the 2025 National and African Youth Day
The Federal Ministry of Youth Development, in collaboration with Mind the Gap, others stakeholders, facilitated the commemoration of the 2025 Africa/National Youth Day on Thursday, November 27, 2025, in Abuja under the theme “From Aspiration to Action: Youth as Agents of Reparative Justice and Sustainable Development.”
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to empowering young people within the framework of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He noted that Nigeria has entered a new era where young citizens are no longer seen as leaders of tomorrow, but as leaders actively shaping national development today.
“This is the first time our story is changing,” Olawande said. “Young people must move from talking to producing tangible results. Your ideas, your courage, and your energy will shape the future of Nigeria and Africa.”
The Minister highlighted the significant progress made in youth-inclusion policies, innovation partnerships, and investment attraction—driven by the Ministry’s renewed collaborations with the private sector, international organisations, and development stakeholders.
He emphasised that new institutional reforms and policy frameworks are designed to equip young Nigerians with tools to tackle long-term challenges related to justice, green skills development, digital innovation, and inclusion.
Olawande also applauded the Mind the Gap, UNFPA, NILDS, the National Youth Service Corps, and other partners for their contributions to youth empowerment.
According to him, the NYSC is evolving beyond national service into a platform for capacity building, entrepreneurship, and employability enhancement.
“The Renewed Hope Agenda is a clear promise to support young Nigerians,
“Progress needs all of us—government, private sector, communities, and young people themselves.” he added.
In his remarks, the Executive Director of Mind the_Gap and Special/Technical Adviser to the Minister of Youth on Institutional Capacity and Programme Sustainability, Tayo Olosunde, stressed the importance of institutionalising and strengthening youth development initiatives.
He commended the Minister for his exceptional leadership in uniting key actors across sectors to drive strategic investments in young people.
“As we advance, several new MOUs will shape the next phase of youth empowerment in Nigeria,” Olosunde said. “Our responsibility is to ensure these agreements are institutionalised and sustained, creating programmes that deliver long-term impact.”
Olosunde also announced that the National Youth Development Awards will hold for the first time, recognising organisations, ministries, agencies, and states that have shown exceptional dedication to youth development.
He described the upcoming ceremony as “the icing on the cake” of the year’s efforts.
Delivering his welcome remarks, the Director-General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Prof. Abubakar O. Sulaiman, underscored that Africa’s youthful population represents immense potential—but only when backed by deliberate, inclusive policies.
Stating that young people must be seen as active co-creators of policy and agents of transformation, not passive beneficiaries.
According to him, this requires moving from political rhetoric to strategic interventions that build real skills, capacities, and leadership pathways.
“Today’s gathering is more than ceremonial; it is a call to action,” he said. “Government, institutions, development partners, and communities must renew their commitment to youth inclusion and forge a new social contract that sees young people not as problems, but as partners.”
Prof. Sulaiman urged young Africans to keep aspiring, innovating, and taking bold steps to drive sustainable development across the continent.
Spark News reports that the two-day event feature: Open conversations, Innovation exhibitions and pitches, Youth parley, Cultural displays, Dance-drama performances, Launch of new youth-focused initiatives.
As the celebration serves as a powerful reminder that the future of Africa rests in the hands of its youth, while also providing a platform for dialogue on issues shaping the continent’s future.