Tinubu Administration Expands Opportunities for Youth

Youth Development Minister, Ayodele Olawande, has revealed that President Bola Tinubu’s administration has expanded opportunities for youth through interventions in education, skills, entrepreneurship, technology and employment.

Olawande ‌made the revelation on Friday at the opening of the National Youth Confab 2026 in Abuja.

He said the Federal Government was committed to creating pathways for young Nigerians to acquire skills, start businesses, access jobs and actively participate in national development.

The minister said the government recognizes youth as partners, innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders rather than simply beneficiaries of development.

According to him, the administration’s focus on youth development is aimed at creating an enabling environment for young Nigerians to convert their potential into sustainable opportunities.

He noted that skills acquisition, entrepreneurship, employment, innovation, leadership, sport, creative industries, technology and civic engagement are key areas requiring sustained investment.

According to him, the challenges facing young people, including unemployment, access to finance, education, digital inclusion and social protection, are interconnected and require coordinated action.

He said the Ministry is working with government agencies, private sector, development partners, civil society and youth-led organizations to expand opportunities for young Nigerians.

He said the National Youth Confab should go beyond celebrating existing initiatives and identify practical ways to improve youth-focused programs.

It challenged participants to develop realistic recommendations, identify institutions responsible for implementation, and propose measurable actions.

“The true measure of the success of this meeting will be what happens after we leave this venue. The outcomes of the confab should result in stronger programs, better coordination, greater access to opportunities and greater accountability in implementing youth-focused initiatives,” he said.

He further urged Nigerian youths to take advantage of available opportunities while embracing responsibility, ethical conduct, tolerance, national unity and peaceful coexistence.

In his remarks, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) Director General Kashifu Abdullahi said artificial intelligence (AI) and other technologies will be used to capture and analyze participants’ contributions.

He said the system would help classify the views of young Nigerians into thematic areas for consideration in policy development.

Also speaking, the Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig. Gen. Olakunle Nafiu, said the country’s large youth population represents both a great responsibility and an opportunity for national development.

He urged young Nigerians to harness their creativity and innovation to contribute to the economic and social transformation of the country.