The Honourable Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, on Thursday represented His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, at the Opening Ceremony of the Strategic Youth Leadership Conference held at the National Defence College, Abuja.
The Conference, jointly organised by the Federal Ministry of Youth Development and the National Defence College, brought together young leaders, policymakers, and key stakeholders under the theme “Youth and Leadership: Building a Foundation for Sustainable Strategic Leadership.”
In his address, President Tinubu emphasised the critical role of young people in shaping the future of Nigeria, noting that with over seventy percent of the nation’s population being youth, the destiny of the country rests in their hands. He highlighted that the energy, resilience, and creativity of the youth are Nigeria’s greatest assets, but also warned that “energy without direction and potential without preparation could lead to frustration.” He said the Conference provides a timely platform to instil values of ethical, innovative, and sustainable leadership.
The President explained that youth development remains a central pillar of his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda. He listed a range of strategic programmes aimed at equipping young Nigerians with skills, opportunities, and leadership platforms across multiple sectors. Among them is the Nigerian Youth Academy, designed to empower millions with digital and vocational skills. He also highlighted the 3 Million Technical Talent Programme, which seeks to position Nigeria as a global hub for advanced digital skills, and the Digital Literacy for All initiative, targeting seventy percent national literacy by 2027.
Other initiatives mentioned by the President include employment and enterprise schemes to generate millions of jobs, the Nigeria Health Fellowship, agricultural empowerment programmes, creative industry residencies, climate resilience corps, eco-friendly transport projects, and youth enterprise loan facilities. These, he said, form part of the administration’s broader strategy for job creation, economic growth, and digital transformation.
Charging participants at the event, President Tinubu urged them to seize the opportunity to learn, collaborate, and form strong networks that will influence the future of the country. “Let your ideas, connections, and passion fuel the journey towards a greater Nigeria,” he said, adding that true leadership is measured by impact and must begin within immediate communities.
He also called on policymakers, educators, community leaders, and development partners to work together in creating enabling environments that support mentorship, inclusive governance, quality education, and economic empowerment for Nigerian youth.
Declaring the Conference open, President Tinubu reaffirmed his government’s commitment to building a Nigeria where every young person has the opportunity to lead and contribute meaningfully to national development. He reminded participants that “the Nigeria we desire tomorrow depends on the leadership we build today.”