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The Children of Africa Leadership and Values Development Initiative (CALDEV) is set to Host 2025 National Children Leadership Conference in Abuja, Nigeria
This was discussed at a Press Briefing by the Founder of the Children of Africa Leadership and Values Development Initiative (CALDEV), Mr. Bamidele Salam, in Abuja.
The Conference is renowned for shaping the minds and values of the next generation of African leaders.
It will bring together over 400 Children from across the Continent for an extraordinary experience of learning, leadership and community development, and inspiration.
Mr Salam said that CALDEV initiative is driven by the belief that “the future of Africa lies in the quality of values and vision we instill in our children today.”
He reaffirmed CALDEV’s mission to nurture a generation of digitally empowered, socially conscious, and ethically grounded young Africans who will take responsibility for building a prosperous and united continent.
” The 2025 National Children Leadership Conference promises to be a landmark event in advancing child leadership development across Africa, a rallying point for the continent’s next generation of changemakers to learn, connect, and lead with purpose.
” The Children of Africa Leadership and Values Development Initiative (CALDEV), under the visionary leadership of its Founder, Representative Bamidele Salam, Member, Nigerian House of Representatives/Chairman, Public Accounts Committee, is set to host the 2025 National Children Leadership Conference in Abuja, Nigeria,” Mr. Sallam said.
He said that the National Children Leadership Conference (NCLC) serves as a bold and dynamic platform bringing leadership development closer to African children, particularly Nigeria.
“Over the past three years consecutively, it has given children a voice, vision, expression and opportunity to lead – empowering them to express their ideas, showcase their potential, celebrate their achievements and contribute meaningfully to the development of our continent. Through this initiative, CALDEV continues to inspire a new era of values-oriented children’s participation in leadership and governance across Africa,” he said.
Mr Salam said that the conference would hold With the theme, “the Role of Children in Nation Building: Digitally Smart, Socially Responsible.”
The Founder also pointed out that the NCLC 2025 seeks to empower young Africans with essential leadership skills, digital literacy, and a deep sense of social responsibility.
He said; “The participants are between ages 13 to 19 years. CALDEV believes that this group represents a dynamic group of emerging leaders passionate about making a difference in their communities and nations.
” Significantly, the grand finale of the programme coincides with the global observance of Universal Children’s Day, held annually on November 20.
Building on past editions that have positively impacted over 1,000 Nigerian children, the 2025 conference will expand its reach to participants from Zambia, Gambia, Uganda, and Ghana, fostering unity, collaboration, and cultural exchange among African children and youth.
” This symbolic alignment reinforces CALDEV’s commitment to promoting the rights, voices, and potential of children as active contributors to nation-building and global development.”
The conference will feature a rich lineup of transformative activities, including:
- Book Launch – titled: The Power of a Teenager: 50 Ways to Inspire Change – Authored by Rep. Bamidele Salam, the Founder of CALDEV
- Children Parliamentary Session- a unique mock parliamentary session where children would showcase their legislative leadership skills
- Digi-Skills Breakout Sessions on Artificial Intelligence, Video Editing, Graphics Design, and Microsoft Office Suites
- Public Speaking Skills for Impact
* Community Problem-Solving Challenges - Outdoor Exercises and Excursions to the National Assembly and the National Assembly Library
- The inspiring “Leader in the Making” segment.”
Mr. Sallam noted that it would also feature what has become one of the conference’s high points- the Early Achievers Awards Ceremony – special component of the conference dedicated to recognizing outstanding children who have demonstrated excellence, creativity, and leadership in various fields.
He added that participants will also receive certificates, gifts, and prizes, celebrating their commitment to personal and collective growth.
A programme Partner for the conference, Mrs Amina Abubakar said that empowerment of children cannot be over emphasized.
She said that ” the NCLC is one of a kind in Nigeria and perhaps all across West Africa, instilling not only leadership values in this children but giving them the opportunity to experience hands on, what it means to be a Parliamentarian, what it means to be a policy maker and puting those mindset in them right from their young ages to be socially responsible and grow up wanting to make a change. So, we are very excited about it. Each year we have different sets of participants. Now, we have more than one thousand in total beneficiary. And we look forward to continuing this mission until every child in Africa is empowered to be effective.”
For her part, the Programme Officer of CALDEV, Ms. Toromade Faderera, said that children are in for an exciting time.
She added that the children want to be active participants in what is happening in their society.
The conference is scheduled to take place from Monday, November 17 to Friday, November 21, 2025, in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.