Youth empowerment, tool for nation building- Minister

The Minister of Youth Development, Mr Ayodele Olawande, has reiterated the need for youth empowerment in the country to ensure nation building and development.

Olawande made this known on Friday in Akure during a 2-day zonal consultative meeting on the review of the national youth policy (2019-2023) South-West Zone.

The minister, represented by Mr Kabir Mohammed, Director, Education and Youth Development in the ministry, said the National Youth Policy remained the central framework that guided collective efforts towards empowering Nigerian youth.

He added that the policy would also promote youth participation in governance and enhance access to education, skills development, decent work, health services, and opportunities for innovation.

“However, as we all know, the social, economic, and technological realities of our nation continue to evolve rapidly.

“It has become necessary to review and update the policy to reflect emerging trends, address new challenges, and reposition the youth sector for greater impact and inclusiveness.

“This consultative meeting will shapen the future of youth development in the country.

“It also presents a unique opportunity for us to engage constructively, share experiences from our respective states, and provide evidence-based insights that will strengthen the policy review process.

“The South-West Zone carries significant strategic importance, given its diversity, demographic strength, cultural richness, and economic potential.

“Your contributions today will ensure that the revised policy is not only nationally relevant, but also context-specific, inclusive, and responsive to the peculiar needs and aspirations of young people across this zone,” he stated.

Olawande encouraged all participants to share ideas, highlight gaps, recommend practical solutions, and amplify the voices of the youth constituencies they represented.

The minister also said the ministry remained committed to a participatory review process that would reflect multi-stakeholder ownership, accountability and alignment with regional, and global development frameworks.

Also, the Director of Youth Development in Ondo State Ministry of Youth and Sports, Mrs Olukemi Okukpe, said it had become imperative that policy instruments reflect current realities, emerging challenges, and new opportunities for young people.

She described the National Youth Policy as a foundational framework which guides government action, institutional coordination, and stakeholder engagement on youth development across the country.

Okukpe explained that young people were not only the future of the country but its strength, hence, the need to review policy which ensures their aspirations, needs and voices are adequately captured, and addressed

Similarly, Comrade Akolawole Shoremi, South-West Chairman, Chairmen Forum of Nigeria Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), lauded the ministry for its constant readiness to strengthen youths and provide a platform for their voices.

Shoremi noted that youths, being the pillar of the society, must be allowed to explore their potentials according to effective and practical policy, hence, the relevance of the meeting.