By Huldah Shado
The Federal Ministry of Youth Development has launched the official digital portal for the upcoming National Youth Conference, also known as the National Youth Confab, aimed at deepening youth participation in national development and decision-making.
Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, described the conference as more than just a gathering, calling it a pivotal moment for young Nigerians to shape their future.
Themed “Next Gen Nigeria: Crafting Solutions, Owning the Future,” the event will be youth-led, inclusive, and non-partisan.
The newly launched portal enables young Nigerians;both at home and in the diaspora, to register, contribute ideas, and receive real-time updates.
President Bola Tinubu first announced the conference during his Independence Day address on October 1, 2024.
A 44-member planning committee was inaugurated on March 10, 2025.
The conference will unfold in stages, starting with consultations at the constituency level, followed by zonal sessions, and culminating in a national conference in Abuja.
It is expected to host 36,000 delegates, with an emphasis on transparency and merit-based representation.
Discussions will focus on six critical areas: governance, economic transformation, education, technology, climate change, and social inclusion.
Through the portal, young people can submit policy ideas and proposals. Registration is open until June 30, 2025.
To ensure implementation of the conference outcomes, the government will introduce a Youth-Led Monitoring and Accountability Framework and a Youth Confab Impact Index to track progress and translate recommendations into action.
The Minister urged young Nigerians to visit the portal, register, and actively engage in what he described as a national movement.
“It’s time to shift from problems to solutions, and from challenges to progress,” Olawande said.
