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2025 Youth Day: Minister, Mind the_Gap Urge Youth to Lead With Action, Innovation, and Impact
Cyril Ogar
The Federal Government has renewed its call for young Nigerians to move from conversation to concrete action as the country commemorates the 2025 National and African Youth Day.
The Federal Ministry of Youth Development, in collaboration with Mind the Gap, others stakeholders, facilitated the commemoration of the 2025 Africa/National Youth Day on Thursday, November 27, 2025, in Abuja under the theme “From Aspiration to Action: Youth as Agents of Reparative Justice and Sustainable Development.”
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to empowering young people within the framework of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He noted that Nigeria has entered a new era where young citizens are no longer seen as leaders of tomorrow, but as leaders actively shaping national development today.
“This is the first time our story is changing,” Olawande said. “Young people must move from talking to producing tangible results. Your ideas, your courage, and your energy will shape the future of Nigeria and Africa.”
The Minister highlighted the significant progress made in youth-inclusion policies, innovation partnerships, and investment attraction—driven by the Ministry’s renewed collaborations with the private sector, international organisations, and development stakeholders. He emphasised that new institutional reforms and policy frameworks are designed to equip young Nigerians with tools to tackle long-term challenges related to justice, green skills development, digital innovation, and inclusion.
Olawande also applauded the Mind the Gap, UNFPA, NILDS, the National Youth Service Corps, and other partners for their contributions to youth empowerment.
According to him, the NYSC is evolving beyond national service into a platform for capacity building, entrepreneurship, and employability enhancement.
“The Renewed Hope Agenda is a clear promise to support young Nigerians,” he added. “Progress needs all of us—government, private sector, communities, and young people themselves.”
In his remarks, the Executive Director of Mind the_Gap and Special/Technical Adviser to the Minister of Youth on Institutional Capacity and Programme Sustainability, Tayo Olosunde, stressed the importance of institutionalising and strengthening youth development initiatives.
He commended the Minister for his exceptional leadership in uniting key actors across sectors to drive strategic investments in young people.
“As we advance, several new MOUs will shape the next phase of youth empowerment in Nigeria,” Olosunde said. “Our responsibility is to ensure these agreements are institutionalised and sustained, creating programmes that deliver long-term impact.”
Olosunde also announced that the National Youth Development Awards will hold for the first time, recognising organisations, ministries, agencies, and states that have shown exceptional dedication to youth development. He described the upcoming ceremony as “the icing on the cake” of the year’s efforts.
Delivering his welcome remarks, the Director-General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Prof. Abubakar O. Sulaiman, underscored that Africa’s youthful population represents immense potential—but only when backed by deliberate, inclusive policies.
He stated that young people must be seen as active co-creators of policy and agents of transformation, not passive beneficiaries. According to him, this requires moving from political rhetoric to strategic interventions that build real skills, capacities, and leadership pathways.
“Today’s gathering is more than ceremonial; it is a call to action,” he said. “Government, institutions, development partners, and communities must renew their commitment to youth inclusion and forge a new social contract that sees young people not as problems, but as partners.”
Prof. Sulaiman urged young Africans to keep aspiring, innovating, and taking bold steps to drive sustainable development across the continent.
However, the two-day event feature: Open conversations, Innovation exhibitions and pitches, Youth parley, Cultural displays, Dance-drama performances, Launch of new youth-focused initiatives
As the celebration serves as a powerful reminder that the future of Africa rests in the hands of its youth, while also providing a platform for dialogue on issues shaping the continent’s future.
News
Ex-NYSC Spokesperson Advises Corps Members to Uphold Patriotism and Play Active Roles in Developing the Nation
Joel Ajayi
Corps Members have been advised to be patriotic towards National building and also use the opportunities of NYSC service year to positively invest in their future.
The immediate past Director of Information and Public Relations of NYSC, Chief Eddy Megwa, stated this during his motivational lecture to Corps Members at the Bauchi State Orientation Camp, Wailo, Ganjuwa Local Government Area of the State.
Addressing the 2025 Batch ‘C’ Corps Members, Chief Megwa urged them to serve the nation with loyalty and strong sense of commitment, adding that, no nation grows without the selfless services of her citizens, he therefore urged them to rise up and make the desired change.
The Retired Director, urged the Corps Members to deliberately work towards building a great nation that would compete among the comity of nations, because, “if things are working very well, the youths will not be desperate about relocating to other countries of the world for greener pastures”.
He discouraged the youths from irregular migration, describing it as a suicide mission, because of many risks associated with it, including avoidable deaths, jail terms among others, but equally advised them to follow the official travelling protocol if the need for foreign trip arises.
He also encouraged the Corps Members to strive for excellence in whatever they do, adding that they should leverage on the achievements of their predecessors.
“Do not put your names and your families’ names into disrepute by getting involved in crimes and other unwholesome activities. NYSC is not a safe haven for criminals”, he said.
The former image maker of NYSC described the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme of the NYSC as the panacea to graduate unemployment. He therefore advised the Corps Members to take advantage of the SAED programme by learning skills that would be useful and enable them become entrepreneurs.
He emphasized that the days of white collar jobs are over as the reality of today is self employment which is made possible by embracing Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship training.
The Public Relations guru advised the Corps Members Members to be security conscious as vigilance and self consciousness of their environment are key to personal safety.
Earlier, the NYSC Bauchi State Coordinator, Mr Kufre Umoren appreciated the retired Director for the visit and his words of motivation to both camp officials and Corps Members.
The Coordinator described Chief Megwa as a living legend that shaped the NYSC Public Relations Unit to what it is today and left his footprints boldly.
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