News

Nigeria Pledges Support for Youth Development via Education, Innovation At Rabat Procesd Meeting

Published

22 hours ago

May 15, 2025

By Joel Ajayi

The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to unlocking the potential of Nigerian youth and driving a better future through education, innovation, and empowerment—particularly for women.

Speaking at the end of a two-day extensive dialogue involving over 100 delegates from 57 member countries in Abuja, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, emphasized the need for stronger collaboration to address the root causes of irregular migration and to build a future driven by youth empowerment through innovation and education.

The meeting marked the first thematic session of the Rabat Process under Nigeria and Spain’s joint chairmanship, a key Euro-African platform for dialogue on migration and development. Nigeria assumed the chairmanship in January 2025 and will pilot the process throughout the year.

The theme of the meeting was: “Youth, Innovation, and Education – Driving the Future of Migration.”
According to Prof. Yilwatda,

“We have collectively explored how youth, innovation, and education are not just policy themes but the very engines driving a sustainable migration system.

“We also confronted some hard truths: that migration is increasingly shaped by conflict, climate change, and economic disparities. While over 80% of migration remains regular, the global narrative often casts it in the language of fear. Many young people today feel their only path to opportunity lies elsewhere. But here in Abuja, we imagined a different story.

“A story where migration is safe, legal, dignified, and voluntary. A story where skills are shared—not lost—and where our youth are not fleeing from hardship, but moving toward purpose.”

He stressed the government’s dedication to promoting youth-centered policies that prioritize skills, mobility, and dignity, while also advancing innovation in migration governance, especially in areas like skill recognition.

He called for deeper partnerships within the Rabat Process network—from North and West Africa to Europe.

“We cannot do it alone. The future we seek demands bold partnerships,” the Minister said.

“To our European partners, we invite you to invest more in mobility pathways and joint innovations that empower rather than exclude. To development partners and the private sector, we urge support for skill-building programs that connect education with employment—especially in fragile and climate-affected regions. And to our African neighbors, let us build shared frameworks that recognize qualifications, retain talent, and create positive migration pathways. Migration should never be born out of despair.”

He concluded with a powerful message: “Let us shift from talk to action, from policy to practice. Let us show the world that migration, at its best, is a celebration of what we can build together—not a fear of the unknown.”

Also speaking at the event, Pilar Jimenez, Co-Chair of the Rabat Process and representative of Spain’s Migration Affairs, highlighted that youth are central to the future and must be invested in accordingly.

“Over these two days, we have exchanged ideas on how to unlock the power of youth through education and innovation. We’ve emphasized the untapped African talent that must be harnessed,” she said.

Jimenez noted the significance of youth participation in this year’s session and called for the co-creation of more inclusive spaces for dialogue.

“This meeting in Abuja has demonstrated that, nearly 20 years on, the Rabat Process is more relevant and necessary than ever—especially with the first direct involvement of youth in the process. We will continue to find sustainable ways to include young voices.”

A Nigerian youth delegate underscored their role in shaping the future: “We are not just part of the solution—we are the solution. We are the drivers of the future, and that future begins now.”
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Business

Over 1,000 Delegates Storm Abuja for Maiden Africa Raw Materials Summit

Published

23 hours ago

May 15, 2025

The Gleamer

…As Nigeria Champions Africa’s Goal of 30% Value Addition on Raw Materials
By Joel Ajayi

In a strategic move to boost value addition across the continent’s natural resources, over 1,000 high-level delegates, experts, and investors from across Africa will converge in Abuja for the inaugural Africa Raw Materials Summit, where Nigeria will take the lead in championing a continental target of 30% value addition on raw materials.

The landmark two-day summit, themed “Shaping the Future of Africa’s Resource Landscape,” is scheduled to take place from May 20 to 22, 2025. It aims to position Nigeria as a catalyst in driving industrial transformation and economic diversification across Africa.

Speaking at a world press conference on Thursday in Abuja, the Director-General of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Prof. Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso, emphasized that the summit is designed to address pressing challenges in the continent’s raw materials industries. These include value addition, industrial growth strategies, investment promotion, and sustainable regional collaboration to enhance Africa’s standing in the global raw materials market.

He noted that while Africa is richly endowed with natural resources, the continent continues to grapple with the inability to harness these assets for sustainable development.

“The summit will provide a vital platform for dialogue among policymakers, researchers, and industry leaders to develop actionable strategies for transforming Africa’s raw materials into high-value products that can compete globally,” Ike-Muonso said.

He described the summit as more than a high-level event, calling it “a continental call to action—a moment for Africa to rise and claim its rightful place as a global center for industrial innovation, value creation, and resource sovereignty.”

Highlighting Africa’s strategic advantage, he said, “Africa is abundantly endowed with over 30% of the world’s strategic raw materials—from agricultural commodities to critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, graphite, and rare earth elements. Yet, paradoxically, our economies remain trapped at the bottom of global value chains due to our heavy reliance on exporting unprocessed raw materials.”

Calling the current economic model unsustainable, Ike-Muonso argued that it deprives African countries of jobs, foreign exchange, and industrial growth, while also stifling the continent’s potential for technological leadership.
“The time has come for a bold, coordinated shift from extraction to transformation, from exporting potential to industrializing value, and from economic vulnerability to continental resilience,” he declared.

Central to this transformation is the proposed 30 Percent Value Addition Mandate Bill, which the RMRDC has championed and which is currently under consideration at Nigeria’s National Assembly.

“This bill mandates that no less than 30% of all raw materials must be locally processed before export. It is not just a policy—it is strategic economic common sense and a form of national economic defence,” he said.

According to Ike-Muonso, the bill aims to curb capital flight, stimulate local processing industries, create sustainable jobs, enhance global competitiveness, and establish a strong, self-reliant African industrial base.

He explained that the summit will serve as the ideal platform for African stakeholders to deliberate on the initiative, adopt its core principles, and promote similar policies across the continent.

The summit, he said, has three key objectives: Mobilizing a continental consensus on the urgency of industrializing Africa’s resource base through innovation and value addition: Deepening alignment with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and strengthening regional trade and industrial linkages and Forging actionable partnerships among governments, private sector players, researchers, and development financiers to drive sustainable transformation.

Over 1,000 confirmed participants are expected, including senior ministers and high-ranking officials from Ghana, South Africa, and several other countries, as well as key representatives from their ministries, departments, and agencies.
Key expected outcomes of the summit include:A Pan-African Declaration on Raw Materials Industrialization; Regional support for the 30% Value Addition Mandate and similar national initiatives; The launch of continental investment frameworks for beneficiation and industrial infrastructure.

He also assured that all necessary arrangements have been made to ensure the safety and success of the summit.

“All protocols and logistics have been activated and are being meticulously coordinated. The summit venue has been fully secured and prepared to meet the highest international standards. Every detail, from registration and accreditation to hospitality and technical support, has been carefully planned and is being professionally executed,” he concluded.

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