October 5, (THEWILL) – For the next two weeks’ virtual consultation, Nigerian youths have the opportunity to express their views on national issues, challenge government policies where they disagree and offer better alternatives to the Federal Government.
Expressing his readiness for the consultation, President Bola Tinubu challenged the youth to seize the chance and make their voice felt, their feelings known and their views open to the modern reality of governance in the country. The President, who gave the charge at the weekend, while announcing the opening of the National Youth Confab 2026, said young Nigerians must have a meaningful role in shaping decisions that affect their lives and the future of the country.
The President said the conference was conceived to ensure that young Nigerians were not merely given a symbolic presence in national discussions, but provided with an opportunity to contribute their experiences, aspirations and ideas to policymaking.
In a statement posted on his X account, Tinubu said, “When I proposed this Confab, I wanted young Nigerians to have more than a seat in the room. Your experience and ambition should help shape the decisions that affect your lives.”
He urged participants to speak openly about their concerns and engage the government constructively, particularly when they disagreed with its policies.
“Say what you think. Where you disagree with us, say so and bring the alternative with you”, the President said.
THEWILL reports that the President’s message places emphasis on constructive criticism, with young Nigerians expected to identify shortcomings in government policies, while also presenting practical proposals that could provide alternative approaches to addressing the country’s challenges.
He said the responsibility of government was to listen to the views of young Nigerians and consider recommendations emerging from the engagement. The President added that the government would pay serious attention to proposals considered worthy of implementation.
Tinubu also disclosed that the youth engagement would extend beyond the physical conference through a two-week virtual consultation. According to him, the online consultations would provide an opportunity for young Nigerians who are unable to attend the physical sessions to participate in the process from wherever they are.
“The virtual consultations run for the next two weeks and are open to you wherever you are, at home or in the diaspora”, he said.
The arrangement is expected to widen participation in the confab and enable young Nigerians living outside Nigeria to contribute their perspectives to discussions on national development.
Tinubu said he expected the consultations to generate recommendations that could contribute to policymaking and the broader development of the country.
“I look forward to receiving your recommendations and giving them the serious consideration,” he said.
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Meanwhile, the National Youth Confab 2026 is taking place amid continuing national conversations over the role of young Nigerians in governance, economic development and policymaking. Youth participation has remained a major issue in Nigeria, particularly against the backdrop of concerns over employment opportunities, education, skills development, entrepreneurship, economic inclusion, security and political representation.
The Minister of Youth Development, Mr. Ayodele Olawande, has disclosed that the Federal Government has expanded opportunities for the youth through interventions in education, skills, entrepreneurship, technology, and employment.
Olawande , who disclosed this during the opening of the National Youth Confab 2026 in Abuja, said the Federal Government was committed to creating pathways that would enable young Nigerians to acquire skills, establish businesses, access employment and participate actively in national development.
The minister said the government recognised the youth as partners, innovators, entrepreneurs, and leaders rather than merely beneficiaries of development.
According to him, the administration’s focus on youth development is aimed at creating an enabling environment where young Nigerians can convert their potential into sustainable opportunities.
He noted that skills acquisition, entrepreneurship, employment, innovation, leadership, sports, creative industries, technology and civic engagement were key areas requiring sustained investment.
According to him, the challenges confronting youths, including unemployment, access to finance, education, digital inclusion, and social protection, are interconnected and require coordinated action.
He said the ministry was working with government agencies, the private sector, development partners, civil society, and youth-led organisations to expand opportunities for young Nigerian
“The true measure of the success of this gathering will be what happens after we leave this venue. The outcomes of the confab should translate into stronger programmes, improved coordination, greater access to opportunities, and increased accountability in implementing youth-focused initiatives,” he said.
In his remarks, the Director-General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Abdullahi, said Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other technologies would be deployed to capture and analyse contributions from participants.
He said the system would help categorise the views of young Nigerians into thematic areas for consideration in policy development.
Also speaking, the Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig.-Gen. Olakunle Nafiu, said the country’s large youth population represented both a major responsibility and an opportunity for national development.
He urged young Nigerians to leverage their creativity and innovation to contribute to the country’s economy. Reactions have continued to trail the two-week virtual youth meeting. National youth networks, civil society organizations, and Nigerians in the diaspora have been reacting differently to the planned virtual confab.
Other critics note that holding extensive dialogues is a potential waste of time and public resources when the government could directly address pressing systemic issues like insecurity and financial instability
While some organizations see the confab as a distraction, saying the issues affecting the youths are well known to the government and therefore require genuine reforms rather than another talk shop which has been in much supply with no significant solution, others have viewed the meeting as a significant departure from the past because Nigerians within and outside the country have the opportunity of participation online.
A former National President of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, Wale Ajani, hailed the idea behind the conference but called for less talk and more action on issues affecting Nigerian youths –“impactful decisions on jobs, education and security to improve young Nigerians’ lives.”
Youth organizations like the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, AYCF, and the Yoruba Youths Council have serially criticized the Federal Government for using the confab as a mere stalling tactic rather than a genuine commitment to youth development.
Tinubu first proposed the youth conference during his 2024 National Independence Day broadcast in 2024, two years ago, a reason for the public skepticism surrounding the current confab coming up a few months before the general election in 2027.
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