The Minister for Youth Development, Olawande Emmanuel Ayodele, has urged Nigerian youth to take the lead in driving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as the world moves closer to the 2030 deadline. He made this call today at a Youth Dialogue organised by the United Nations to mark International Youth Day 2025, held at the UN House in Abuja.
Speaking on the theme, “Youth Action on SDGs and Beyond,” the minister stressed the importance of moving from tokenism to meaningful youth leadership, in line with the Pact for the Future. “The creativity, innovation, and resilience of young Nigerians who are already localising the SDGs in their communities is commendable,” he said.
He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for youth innovation, partnership, and enterprise, adding that the SDGs represent “real commitments to people and communities, not just targets on paper.”
Ayodele highlighted examples of youth-led impact, ranging from grassroots climate action to tech-driven solutions in education and health. He also commended the contributions of partners such as UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed and UN Global Ambassador for Peace Maryam Bukar, noting that their work demonstrates how Nigerians can shape global frameworks.
Responding to questions from participants, he pointed out that youth voices are already influencing government policies and programmes. He stressed that ongoing collaboration between young people, government, and development partners will lead to more inclusive and impactful outcomes for communities across the country.
