Sports

FG Sets Up Committee On Review of National Youth Policy

Published

3 years ago

July 26, 2023

In line with the timeline for the review of the National Youth Policy (NYP), the Federal Government has inaugurated a 27-man Committee to immediately commence work on the 2019-2023 National Youth Policy.

The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Sports and Youth Development, Alhaji Ismaila Abubakar while inaugurating the Committee on Wednesday in his office in Abuja, stated that the aim of setting up the Review Team by government was to ensure that the Ministry has a befitting Policy Document that will serve as a guide for the development of the nation’s teeming youth.

According to him, “The National Youth Policy, like other government policies, is the handbook of the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development’s guide on youth development as it represents the declaration of the Nigerian Government to the practical support it intends to give to its youth.”

He stated further that the 2019-2023 Edition of the National Youth Policy is in the last lap of its journey, especially as the policy itself stipulates a 5-year periodic review, hence the need for the commencement of this process.

Alhaji Ismaila informed that part of the successes recorded in the implementation of the 2019-2023 Edition of the NYP by the Federal Government includesYouth inclusion, participation, and access to information, which enables them to know their rights.

The Ministry, in partnership with the Civil Society Organizations, Private Sector and International Agencies, he said, has through enlightenment and publicity, taken National Youth Policy to the grassroots.
He added that various programmes and projects were also implemented across the six geo-political zones in line with the policy thrust of government.

Ismaila explained that the periodic review of the NYP guidelines has become imperative, particularly due to the dynamic nature of human endeavour, which he emphasised is not static. “It is the dynamic nature that has prompted the review of the guidelines in human activities in order to get better results”, he added.

The Permanent Secretary observed that, there have been a lot of changes in the perception and actions of Nigerian youth towards government policies in the last five years, especially in this era of Information Communication Technology (ICT).

Besides, he said, “the age range of youth (15-29) in the current Edition of the NYP has generated a lot of debate and controversy, as it appears to fall short of Nigeria cum Africa youth age reality; thus the justification for the review to address the current situation.”

The Permanent Secretary noted that it is in view of these that the government approved the commencement of the review process with the formation and inauguration of the Committee, which is expected to work from now to February 2024.

While charging the Committee to bring their wealth of experience to bear in ensuring that they produce a one stop shop Policy Document for implementation by government, he stated that other terms of reference for the Team is to amongst others; oversee the entire review process of the National Youth Policy 2024-2027 until its launching; ensure integration of youth concerns from each geo-political zone into the final policy document;ensure that the new policy is in tune with global trends;supervise the various consultations with stakeholders during the review process; as well as bring up anyother activity that will add value to the process.

Alhaji Ismaila commended all relevant stakeholders for their support in ensuring the success of previous reviews as well as implementation of the editions.

The Permanent Secretary therefore called on development partners and other relevant stakeholders to put all hands on deck, work assiduously and note “that it is our collective responsibility to continue to ensure youth issues are mainstreamed into National Agenda”.

He assured that the Ministry will not only continue to maintain open doors to partnerships and collaborations but also repose confidence on the ability of the team to live up to its task of producing a new Policy for Nigerian Youth in line with the policy thrust of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Administration.

Responding, the Chairman of the Committee and Director, Education and Youth Development EYD), in the Ministry, Alhaji Kabiru Mohammed assured that the Committee will work tirelessly and also bring their wealth of experience to bear with a view to providing Nigeria with the best policy document in recent times for our teeming youth in line with global best practices.

He thanked the Federal Government for giving them the opportunity to serve in this capacity.

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Sports

Plateau Vipers, Benue Queens Crowned Champions at HFN North Central Division One Tourney

Published

9 hours ago

October 3, 2026

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The President of the Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN), Jibril Seidu, has said the federation will continue to intensify its grassroots talent development drive through zonal competitions across the country.

Seidu stated this on Saturday in Abuja at the finals of the 2026 North Central Division One Handball Championship, where Plateau Vipers defeated Suleja Shooters 29-24 to emerge champions in the men’s category.

In the women’s final, Benue Queens of Makurdi defeated City Queens of Suleja to claim the title.

The eight-day tournament featured teams from across the North Central Zone, with Plateau Vipers of Jos, Confluence Stars of Lokoja, Unity Boys of Abuja, Suleja Shooters and Nasarawa Ambassadors of Lafia competing in the men’s category.

In the women’s category, Nuela Handball Academy of Ilorin, Inikpi Babes of Idah, Benue Queens of Makurdi and City Queens of Suleja competed for honours.

At the end of the competition, four teams — two male and two female — emerged as the North Central Zone’s representatives for the national Division One league.

According to Seidu, the tournament was organised as part of the federation’s deliberate strategy to take handball development back to the regions and discover talents that might otherwise remain unnoticed.

He said the HFN board, inaugurated on October 25, 2025, resolved that grassroots development was essential to creating a sustainable pipeline of players for national and international competitions.

“All the teams you have seen here are from the North Central Zone of the country, and every state is represented with an academy or state team,” he said.

Seidu explained that the new approach marked a departure from the previous system, where talent identification was largely centred on the federation’s major league competitions.

He said taking competitions to the regions would provide young players with greater opportunities to showcase their abilities while strengthening the foundation of handball across the country.

The HFN president also linked the grassroots initiative to Nigeria’s recent achievements in international handball, stressing the need to develop younger players who can eventually replace members of the current national teams.

He noted that Nigeria had qualified for the 2027 Men’s Junior Handball World Championship in North Macedonia, describing the achievement as evidence of the potential within the country’s handball system.

“How do we replace these players with upcoming players? This is the avenue for us to get players,” he said.

Seidu added that the federation was determined to make handball more visible and accessible, describing it as one of Nigeria’s major sporting disciplines with significant potential for growth.

The North Central tournament is part of a wider zonal programme designed to decentralise handball development across Nigeria.

According to the federation, similar competitions are being organised across other zones, including the South East, North East, North West and South South, with qualifiers from each zone expected to converge at a designated venue for the next stage of the competition.

The federation also appealed for greater support from sponsors, stakeholders and state associations to sustain its grassroots development programme.

It expressed appreciation to the participating states, academies, team sponsors and other stakeholders for their support and commitment to the growth of handball in Nigeria.

The federation said the initiative would provide a platform for discovering the next generation of Nigerian handball stars while expanding the sport’s reach beyond its traditional centres.
While Speaking the elated coach of Benue Queen Godwin Tondo has promised a stronger and more tactical performance after guiding the team to victory at the 2026 North Central Division One Handball Championship in Abuja.
He attributed the success to the team’s long-term youth development programme, noting that the squad was built through a deliberate process of identifying and nurturing young talents.
According to him, the programme began with the selection of 92 girls from secondary schools, who were subsequently trained and developed over a four-year period.

He said the team’s success was a product of sustained hard work and commitment despite the challenges encountered during preparations for the tournament.

“I feel very pleased being a champion today. The road to this stage was very, very hard, but I am very happy that we have got the result from all the toughness of the game,” he said.

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