FG announces National Youth Confab

The Federal Government has announced plans to convene the National Youth Confab 2026 in October as part of efforts to provide young Nigerians with a platform to contribute to national development and policy discussions.

Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, disclosed this on Thursday at a press conference heralding the National Youth Confab 2026 at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Olawande said the two-week event would combine a nationwide virtual consultation with a physical conference in Abuja.

According to him, the initiative is being organised by the Federal Ministry of Youth Development in collaboration with youth networks and other stakeholders.

The Confab is themed “Next Gen Nigeria: Crafting Solutions, Owning the Future” and is designed to enable young Nigerians to share their experiences, express their concerns, exchange ideas and develop practical solutions to challenges confronting the country.

Government seeks wider youth participation

The minister said the government recognises the importance of youth participation in national affairs, noting that young Nigerians constitute a significant proportion of the country’s population.

He stressed that the Confab was not intended to be another conference where speeches would be delivered and reports produced without follow-up action.

“It is an opportunity to listen, engage, cooperate and move from conversation to concrete action,” he said.

Olawande explained that during the first week, Nigerians between the ages of 18 and 35, both at home and in the diaspora, would participate in a national virtual consultation.

A dedicated online portal will also be opened to receive memoranda, ideas and policy proposals from young Nigerians.

He said contributions from the virtual consultation would help shape the agenda, deliberations and final outcomes of the physical conference.

The minister listed young entrepreneurs, students, farmers, technology innovators, young professionals and Nigerians living abroad among those the government wants to participate.

He added that the government also wants to hear from young people who feel excluded or unheard.

360 constituencies to be represented

The second week will feature the physical National Youth Confab in Abuja, with one youth delegate from each of Nigeria’s 360 federal constituencies and six delegates representing Nigerians in the diaspora.

Relevant stakeholders and observers will also participate in the conference.

According to Olawande, the programme will feature expert panels, policy laboratories, innovation showcases, networking sessions and focused discussions.

He said the selection of delegates would be guided by transparency, merit, grassroots representation, gender balance and regional inclusion, as well as the participation of persons with disabilities and other marginalised groups.

Discussions at the Confab will focus on six pillars: governance, leadership and political participation; economic transformation, entrepreneurship and job creation; education and skills for the future; technology, innovation and digital transformation; climate change and energy transition; and social harmony and security.

Olawande said the objective was to enable participants to examine the challenges and opportunities under the six areas and develop clear and implementable recommendations.

FG plans post-Confab monitoring

He said the Confab would be guided by principles including inclusion, youth ownership, transparency, accountability, non-partisanship, innovation, value for money and intergenerational solidarity.

The minister also said mechanisms would be established to ensure that the work of the Confab continues after the physical conference.

These, he said, would include a Multi-Stakeholder Youth Confab Taskforce, a Youth Confab Impact Index, sustained youth policy dialogues and a youth-led monitoring and accountability framework.

He said the mechanisms would help track commitments, measure progress and ensure that the outcomes of the Confab remain relevant beyond the event.

Olawande urged young Nigerians across the 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory and the diaspora to register, submit ideas, share experiences, propose workable solutions and nominate credible young people to participate in the process.

He said the Federal Ministry of Youth Development was ready to listen and engage with young Nigerians as preparations for the October Confab continue.