The National Youth Confab has identified peacebuilding, social cohesion, national unity and meaningful youth participation as key elements in strengthening Nigeria’s national security.
Speakers at the Confab, held at the National Counter Terrorism Centre, Office of the National Security Adviser, Abuja, said greater youth involvement in national affairs could contribute to peaceful coexistence, responsible citizenship and national development.
The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, identified peace and security among the major challenges confronting young Nigerians and urged participants to take ownership of the Confab through engagement, questioning, proposing and collaboration.
Olawande said the active participation of young people was important to developing practical responses to issues affecting them and the country.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Youth Development, Dr Maryam Ismaila Keshinro, also called for youth contributions to national policy, highlighting peacebuilding and national unity alongside governance, education, digital skills, employment and entrepreneurship.
She said young Nigerians should be involved in shaping policies and programmes that affect their lives, with emphasis on practical and measurable outcomes.
The Director-General, National Youth Service Corps, Brigadier General Olakunle Olaseye Nafiu, stressed the importance of including young people in national conversations and decision-making.
He noted the role of the NYSC in promoting national integration, leadership, patriotism and understanding among Nigerians from different cultural and geographical backgrounds.
Nafiu’s position underscored the importance of youth participation in strengthening national unity and encouraging dialogue across regional and cultural differences.
The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, highlighted the role of technology and Artificial Intelligence in capturing, organising and analysing ideas generated by young Nigerians.
He also drew attention to the challenge posed by misinformation and other harmful content on social media, stressing the need for a responsible information environment as young people increasingly participate in public discourse through digital platforms.
According to him, technology could provide tools for organising youth contributions and supporting more effective engagement between young people and policymakers.
The President of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, Akinteye Babatunde Afeez, identified education, employment, skills development, digital innovation, entrepreneurship, security and meaningful participation in governance among key youth priorities.
Afeez also stressed the importance of constructive engagement and dialogue, particularly in managing differences among young people and other stakeholders.
The speakers’ interventions placed youth participation at the centre of discussions on national cohesion, with emphasis on creating opportunities for young Nigerians to contribute to policymaking and national development.
The Confab is expected to provide a platform for young Nigerians to present ideas and recommendations on issues affecting them, with the broader objective of strengthening youth participation in national affairs.
The discussions also highlighted the relationship between social cohesion, responsible citizenship and security, particularly in creating conditions that support peaceful participation and dialogue.
The outcome of the Confab will therefore depend on how its recommendations are translated into policies and programmes addressing the concerns raised by young Nigerians.
