The Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, has officially inaugurated the State Technical Committees (STCs) for the upcoming National Youth Conference (Youth Confab 2025), a landmark initiative aimed at driving youth inclusion, governance participation, and policy influence across Nigeria.
Speaking during the virtual inauguration ceremony, the Honourable Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, underscored the significance of the occasion, describing it as ‘the activation of a key operational mechanism that reaffirms our collective belief in youth leadership, inclusive governance, and the power of dialogue.’
The Minister noted that while young Nigerians remain full of ideas and passion for national development, their voices have long gone unheard. “The Youth Confab 2025 will change all that,” he affirmed. “It is not just another event; it is a national movement that gives young people a seat at the table.”
Comrade Olawande charged members of the newly inaugurated STCs with critical responsibilities, including: Facilitating grassroots consultations across all 360 Federal Constituencies; Supporting the compilation of policy proposals and community-driven solutions; Ensuring the inclusion of women, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and marginalised voices; and creating a safe, respectful, and non-partisan environment for youth engagement.
He emphasised five core principles that must guide the Committees’ work; Inclusion- Every youth, regardless of background, must be represented; Participation – Dialogue must be genuine and youth-led; Evidence and Policy Relevance – Outputs must reflect grassroots realities and inform actual policy shifts; Decentralisation – Engagement must be rooted in local communities and states; Accountability and Impact – The outcomes will feed into a National Youth Agenda, influence cabinet-level decisions, and be tracked through a Youth Confab Implementation Taskforce and an Impact Index.
The Honourable Minister also outlined key milestones following the inauguration, including; Nationwide and diaspora-led virtual consultations; Constituency dialogues across all geopolitical zones; Zonal consolidation meetings to align regional priorities; A National Conference in Abuja to produce the Youth Confab Declaration; Submission of a final Policy Blueprint to His Excellency, the President; and the launch of a Youth Confab Impact Index to monitor delivery and outcomes.
“As members of this committee, this is your moment, not just to facilitate logistics, but to ignite real change,” the Minister charged. “You are shaping the dreams of Nigerian youth and helping build a bridge between our country’s leadership and its next generation.”
He expressed confidence in the capacity, integrity, and commitment of the STC members to deliver a truly historic and transformational process.
“On behalf of the Ministry and the Federal Government of Nigeria, thank you for answering the call to serve. May this Confab set the tone for the Nigeria we want to see, and deliver a great future for our young people”, he concluded.
In his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Olubunmi Olusanya, tasked the committee with demonstrating commitment, transparency, and inclusiveness in executing their mandate. He emphasised the importance of coordinated grassroots engagement, urging members to serve as ambassadors of the Youth Confab vision by ensuring that no youth constituency is left behind in the national dialogue process.
