ABUJA – Nigerian youths have called on the government to take urgent action to address the country’s pressing development challenges, citing a lack of opportunities and disconnection between leaders and young people.
Speaking at an International Youth Day event in Abuja, youths emphasized the need for government to prioritize education, employment, climate action, and gender equality.
They noted that the current generation of leaders had various opportunities when they were young, but have not provided the same for the current generation.
The event, organized by the Network of Youth for Sustainable Initiative (NGYouthSDGs) in partnership with Oxfam in Nigeria, brought together over 300 youths and stakeholders to demand action from government.
The youths showcased their contributions to gender equality, climate action, education, decent work, and active citizenship, and called for collaboration between youth and key stakeholders.
NGYouthSDGs Programme Manager, Opeyemi Ogundeji, emphasized that Nigeria is on track to achieving youth-related SDGs but needs to intensify action.
She noted that the event aimed to drive momentum towards achieving the SDGs by recognizing and amplifying the efforts of youth making tangible impacts in their communities.
“I will say we are on track but we are not there yet. However, we can still get to that place, and that is why we are narrating the problems that we have been noticing in this space, and also the solutions we are preparing for it, and we need to intensify that action in order to take us to where we are looking at,” Ogundeji.
The event recognized ten outstanding young individuals for their achievements in advancing the SDGs and honored five for their efforts towards a greener Nigeria.
Participants also had the opportunity to engage with changemakers, policymakers, and peers to exchange ideas, share best practices, and develop collaborative solutions.
According to Joseph Ibrahim, Programme Manager at Global Initiative for Food Security and Ecosystem Preservation, many leaders view youths as having nothing to offer, emphasizing the need for intergenerational collaboration.
Maxwell Osarenkhoe, Communication Officer at Oxfam in Nigeria, noted that citizens focus too much on the federal government, neglecting the importance of holding grassroots leaders accountable.
“So part of the room to bridge the intergenerational gap that we’ve seen is through policies. This is because when policies actually work, we don’t have to talk too much,” he said.
The event highlighted the crucial role young people play in advancing sustainable development and addressing national challenges, and called for urgent action from government to address the pressing development challenges facing Nigerian youths.
