The Federal Government has rescheduled its long-awaited National Youth Conference for October, with 366 youth delegates expected to participate in the physical conference in Abuja.
Gatekeepers News reports that the two-week conference is designed to provide young Nigerians with a structured platform to contribute to national development and influence government policy.
Background
President Bola Tinubu first announced plans for a 30-day national youth conference on October 1, 2024.
Although no specific date was initially announced, the Federal Government later said the conference would begin in the first week of February 2025, with three weeks of grassroots consultations followed by a one-week gathering of youth delegates in Abuja.
The conference, however, did not take place as scheduled.
Tinubu subsequently inaugurated a 44-member planning committee in March 2025, while an official registration portal for the conference was launched in June.
‘The confab will be held in October’
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Olubunmi Olusanya, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Youth Development and Chairman of the conference planning committee, confirmed that the event would now take place over two weeks in October.
Olusanya said the conference was designed to move youth engagement beyond consultation and towards meaningful participation in national development.
“It will bring together young Nigerians from across the country and the diaspora to identify challenges, propose practical solutions and develop actionable recommendations for government and other relevant institutions,” the statement read.
According to him, the first week of the programme will feature a nationwide virtual consultation open to Nigerians aged 18 to 35, including those living in the diaspora.
Participants will be able to submit memoranda and policy proposals through an online portal.
“The second week will feature the physical conference in Abuja, with one youth delegate representing each of Nigeria’s 360 federal constituencies, alongside six diaspora delegates, stakeholders and observers,” Olusanya said.
The arrangement means 366 youth delegates will participate in the physical conference.
The conference will focus on issues including governance, leadership and political participation; economic transformation, entrepreneurship and job creation; education and future-oriented skills; technology and digital transformation; climate change and energy transition; as well as social cohesion and security.
The programme will also feature expert panels, policy discussions, an innovation showcase and networking sessions.
At the end of the conference, recommendations will be presented to President Tinubu and relevant government institutions for consideration.
Delegate selection
Olusanya said delegates would be selected through an open and transparent process designed to promote broad representation.
“Selection of delegates will be conducted through an open and transparent process, with emphasis on merit, grassroots representation, gender balance, regional inclusion and the participation of persons with disabilities and other marginalised groups,” he said.
He added that state ministries responsible for youth affairs would work with the planning committee to coordinate nominations and registration across the states.
Minister urges youth participation
The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, urged young Nigerians to take advantage of the consultations by submitting ideas and proposals and participating constructively in discussions about their future.
“The National Youth Confab is not simply about bringing young people together to talk. It is about giving them a structured platform to put forward practical ideas, influence policy and hold us accountable for the outcomes,” the minister said.
Interested participants are expected to register through the conference portal on the Ministry of Youth Development’s website.
