During the 2025 United Nations High-Level Political Forum, Nigeria will present its third Voluntary National Review (VNR). The VNR serves as a scorecard on the progress made by member countries of the United Nations towards achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, as well as identifying areas for improvement.
You can read about Nigeria’s third Voluntary National Review.
For the third VNR, the Network of Youth for Sustainable Initiative (NGYouthSDGs) partnered with Youth Hub Africa to develop a Youth Shadow Report. The report amplifies the lived experiences, priorities, and demands of over 1,000 young Nigerians—students, workers, self-employed youth, and young people from urban and rural communities.
Why This Report Matters
While Nigeria’s official VNR mentions “youth” more than 60 times, it often stops short of translating their voices into actual policies, budgets, or programs. The Youth Shadow Report fills that gap. It focuses on the issues youth care about most in health, education, jobs, digital access, climate action, and political participation and reveals stark disconnects between national narratives and the realities young people face daily.
Key Findings from the Report
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Health services are often too expensive or not tailored for youth, especially mental health and reproductive care.
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Education systems are outdated and inaccessible to many rural and low-income youth.
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Youth unemployment remains high; self-employment is often out of necessity, not opportunity.
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Only 22.9% of youth have ever participated in climate action.
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Digital exclusion is still widespread, especially for young women and rural communities.
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58% of young people feel unsafe or excluded from governance processes.
What Young Nigerians Are Asking For
The report outlines clear, actionable recommendations:
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Youth-friendly clinics and mental health services.
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Modern, inclusive education and skills programmes.
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Youth-led innovation hubs and digital training centers.
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Green jobs and community-based climate programmes.
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Legal reforms to secure youth representation in politics and policymaking.
What’s Next?
The Youth Shadow Report urges development partners, funders, government leaders, and institutions to embed youth in every phase of development, from planning and budgeting to implementation and accountability.
With five years left until 2030, young people must be trusted, funded, and empowered to ensure we make progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
You can download the Youth Shadow Report here.
