The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in Nigeria has urged a comprehensive, rights-focused approach to youth empowerment, emphasising the need to equip young people with quality education, healthcare, and leadership opportunities to foster sustainable development.

Marking International Youth Day 2025, NHRC Executive Secretary, Tony Ojukwu, called on governments and stakeholders to tackle urgent challenges facing Nigerian youth, including unemployment, economic hardship, and limited political participation.

“Young Nigerians are not just beneficiaries of development but deep thinkers, active innovators, mobilizers, and partners in shaping a future anchored on equity, dignity, and respect for human rights,” Ojukwu said.

He cautioned that despite their resilience and potential, many youths face obstacles such as underemployment, lack of mentorship, and increasing living costs. Economic uncertainty, poverty, and insecurity continue to threaten their well-being and fuel feelings of exclusion from key political and economic decisions.

Ojukwu further highlighted the particularly difficult circumstances of vulnerable young women and rural populations, where access to youth-friendly health services, including mental health and reproductive care, remains inadequate.

The NHRC Executive Secretary reaffirmed the Commission’s dedication to amplifying youth voices and ensuring their meaningful inclusion in policy-making consistent with national and international human rights commitments.

International Youth Day, observed annually on August 12, serves as a global reminder of the urgent need for collaboration to unlock the potential of young people as drivers of progress.

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The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has demolished illegal structures and shanties, popularly known as “Cashew Garden,” in Apo Cadastral Zone E27, Abuja, as part of its ongoing city sanitation operation.

Director of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima, who led the operation on Tuesday, said the exercise was aimed at ridding the city of criminal elements and miscreants.

“You recall that we were at Zone 3, Wuse and UTC for similar exercises since the commencement of the operation as directed by the FCT Security Committee. Today we are in Apo, dislodging shanties and miscreants, posing security threats to residents of the area,” he said.

Chairman of the garden, Mr Steven Obiozo, said about 200 occupants were not criminals, explaining that the landowner had permitted them to occupy the area.

Obiozo said the residents built small tents and shops, mostly selling provisions, food, beer and soft drinks.

Galadima, however, maintained that their occupation was illegal, as it lacked government authorisation, warning that the FCTA would revoke land allocations from those harbouring miscreants.

“The area was designated for residential purposes, and allottees failed to develop their plots within the stipulated time. As directed by the FCT Security Committee, we are going to take over the area; we are going to possess it,” he said.

He added that the site had a clearly defined road corridor, part of the S20 extension of Oladipo Diya Road, running through FHA Apo to Guzape 2.

“We have concluded, based on what we have seen, that all those who own plots here and allow illegal structures will lose their allocations, which will be reverted to the FCT Administration,” Galadima added.

The director said the operation would extend to all parts of the FCT.

Director of the Security Services Department, FCTA, Mr Adamu Gwary, said the exercise was making the territory unsafe for criminal elements.

Gwary, represented by the Secretary of Command and Control, Dr Peter Olumuji, said some of the suspects dealt in illicit drugs.

“One thing we want criminal elements to know is that FCT is not a place they can urbanate again. Wherever you go, we are going to pursue you and smoke you out,” Gwary said.

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Nigeria’s Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, has called on global partners, the private sector, and civil society to commit to long-term support for youth-led innovation as a key driver of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the post-2030 development agenda.

Olawande made the call on Monday during the 2025 International Youth Day celebration in Abuja, themed “Youth, SDGs and Beyond – Igniting Innovation for a Sustainable Future.”

He stressed that Nigeria’s youth, who make up over 60 percent of the population, are indispensable to achieving the SDGs by 2030 and sustaining progress thereafter.

“With over 60% of our population under the age of 25, Nigeria’s greatest strength lies in its youth

“They are already leading change in agriculture, health, education, renewable energy, and digital technology,” Olawande said.

The minister acknowledged that young entrepreneurs face significant funding and market access challenges but assured that the government is committed to improving youth entrepreneurship policies, expanding funding opportunities, and ensuring youth voices are central to decision-making across government, business, and development sectors.

He urged partners to back youth ideas with financial support, mentorship, and global exposure. “Our youth are not just beneficiaries of the SDGs, they are co-creators of solutions,” Olawande noted. “Their innovation is the bridge between today’s Nigeria and the Nigeria we dream for future generations.”

The minister concluded with a call for sustained youth empowerment, saying, “Together, we can achieve the SDGs and go beyond.”

Also speaking at the event, UNDP Resident Representative in Nigeria, Ms. Elsie G. Attafuah, called for increased investment in Nigerian youth, emphasising that local action is crucial to achieving the SDGs and driving Africa’s transformation.

“The SDGs will not be achieved in New York, Geneva, or Abuja alone, but in our towns, villages, campuses, and communities. It is here, where life happens, that the future is shaped,” she said.

Attafuah highlighted Nigerian youth leadership in agriculture, technology, peacebuilding, and green enterprise, pointing to UNDP-supported programmes that equip young people with skills, tools, and networks to effect change.

She described UNDP’s efforts as extending beyond isolated projects to building a continental youth empowerment architecture. She cited the Timbuktoo initiative, a $1 billion pan-African innovation programme establishing specialised hubs across Africa in fintech, greentech, healthtech, agritech, and creative industries.

In Nigeria, seven UniPods are tailored to local strengths, including ethical AI research at the University of Lagos, agro-processing in Benue, peace-tech in Borno, green mining in Nasarawa, and manufacturing innovation in Abia and Kaduna. All are expected to be operational by the end of 2025.

“To truly unlock Nigeria’s youth dividend, we must scale what works, remove barriers, and invest not in pilots, but in pipelines of start-ups, export-ready MSMEs, and sustainable ecosystems that connect grassroots innovation to global markets,” Attafuah said.

She commended the Office of the President of Nigeria and the European Union for supporting the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme, stating that Africa’s transformation will be shaped by “the resilience and brilliance” of its youth and women-led enterprises.

The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, Mr. Olubomi Olusanya, highlighted the critical role of young people in grassroots transformation, national progress, and global development.

Olusanya stressed that sustainable development begins with bold ideas, local innovation, and the everyday actions of youth.

He noted that under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, youth development has been elevated to a national priority.

“Through initiatives such as the Nigerian Youth Academy, the Nigerian Youth Aid Desk, and the Nigerian Youth Parliament, alongside programs that expand digital skills, promote entrepreneurship, and reform institutions such as the NYSC, the Federal Office of Youth Development is committed to equipping young Nigerians to lead, innovate, and thrive in a rapidly changing world,” he said.

Olusanya added that strategic partnerships with the private sector, civil society, and development agencies are essential to harnessing technology, creativity, and civic engagement as tools for peacebuilding, economic growth, and inclusive development.

He urged participants to seize the occasion as an opportunity for learning, dialogue, and collaboration, calling on youth to become catalysts for community-driven solutions and national progress.

The Youth Innovation Funfair, organised by the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, featured innovation booths, pitch sessions, networking opportunities, masterclasses, and cultural showcases, providing a platform for young innovators to connect with investors, mentors, and development partners.

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The Kano State Government has met with cluster leaders of repentant youth influencers as part of preparations for the launch of the Kano Safe Corridor Project.

The initiative, spearheaded by the Ministry of Information and Internal Affairs, aims to promote peace, security, and rehabilitation through sustainable livelihoods, psychosocial support, and skills training for reformed youths.

Speaking at the one-day interface meeting, Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, represented by the Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Ambassador Abdullahi Ibrahim Waiya, described the Safe Corridor Project as a comprehensive reintegration programme designed to provide long-term opportunities for youths who have embraced rehabilitation.

“The involvement of cluster leaders is critical in ensuring grassroots acceptance, monitoring, and conflict prevention within participating communities,” Waiya said.

Some cluster leaders expressed appreciation to the state government and development partners for initiating the project, pledging their full cooperation to ensure its success.

“We call for sustained follow-up programmes to consolidate the gains of rehabilitation and prevent relapse into crime or violence,” they said.

The project adopts a multi-pronged approach that includes vocational training, civic education, and community dialogue, with the goal of fostering lasting peace and social cohesion in Kano State.

The meeting was attended by key stakeholders, including Alhaji Gidado Mukhtar; Kano State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Adamu Bakori; Vice Chancellor of Northwest University, Professor Muktar Atiku Kurawa; Dan’amar Aliyu Umar Harazimi; and NDLEA Kano Commandant, Abubakar Idris Ahmad, who expressed confidence that the project, once operational, would serve as a model for inclusive rehabilitation and community reintegration in Nigeria.

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Nigeria and Israel have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation in security, counter-terrorism, and economic development.

The pledge was made during a high-level political dialogue held in Abuja between Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and Israel’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sharren Miriam Haskel-Harpaz.

Both countries emphasised the need for stronger collaboration in intelligence gathering, information sharing, and counter-terrorism financing.

They also stressed the importance of advanced security training to combat global threats.

Discussions focused on enhancing trade and investment opportunities, with Nigeria seeking to leverage Israel’s expertise in technology and innovation to boost its economic growth.

The two nations agreed to promote cultural exchange programmes, tourism, and cooperation in agriculture to strengthen people-to-people ties.

They further explored collaboration in technology and innovation for border management, capacity building, and consular and immigration matters.

To solidify their partnership, Nigeria and Israel agreed to facilitate exchange programmes and study tours to promote mutual understanding and cooperation, and to establish a more robust bilateral framework to ensure sustained dialogue and collaboration.

The meeting reflects the enduring and strategic partnership between Nigeria and Israel, with both countries committed to addressing global security challenges and advancing economic development.

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