Stakeholders from government, development agencies, and youth-led organisations have outlined key reforms needed to strengthen Nigeria’s National Youth Policy, calling for dedicated financing, stronger accountability mechanisms, and greater youth participation in implementation and oversight.
The recommendations emerged at a High-Level Stakeholders’ Dialogue on the National Youth Policy convened by the Network of Youth for Sustainable Initiative (NGYouthSDGs) in partnership with the British High Commission and the Federal Ministry of Youth Development in Abuja.
The dialogue reviewed findings from a nationwide youth consultation conducted by NGYouthSDGs between January and March 2026, which engaged more than 550 young Nigerians across Bauchi, Benue, and Rivers states, as well as participants in two national virtual sessions.
Participants noted that while the National Youth Policy 2019–2023 contained ambitious targets for youth development, weak implementation structures, inadequate funding arrangements, and the absence of publicly available evaluations limited its impact.
Speaking at the event, Founder and Executive Director of NGYouthSDGs, Joshua Alade, said young people across the country had consistently identified the critical areas that the next National Youth Policy must address.
“Young Nigerians have already told us, with remarkable consistency, what the next National Youth Policy needs to get right,” Alade said.
“Today’s dialogue brought that evidence into the same room as the people with the authority to act on it. What happens next is what will determine whether this becomes another well-intentioned document, or the policy cycle where Nigeria finally moves from ideas to accountable delivery.”
Discussions at the dialogue centred on three key priorities for the next policy cycle: sustainable financing, effective monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, and structured youth participation in implementation and oversight.
Stakeholders argued that meaningful youth inclusion would strengthen accountability, improve policy outcomes and ensure that government programmes better reflect the realities facing young people.
Also speaking, Head of Development Cooperation at the British High Commission in Abuja, Cynthia Rowe, reaffirmed the United Kingdom’s support for an evidence-driven approach to youth development.
“The UK is proud to partner with the Federal Ministry of Youth Development and NGYouthSDGs on this important conversation,” she said.
“Nigeria’s young people are not just its future; they are central to its present transformation, and the UK remains committed to supporting an evidence-led, accountable approach to youth policy that delivers for them.”
At the end of the dialogue, participants agreed that the success of the forthcoming National Youth Policy would depend not only on its content but also on the establishment of clear funding mechanisms, transparent monitoring systems and formal structures that guarantee youth participation throughout implementation.
Alade said communiqué containing the dialogue’s recommendations is expected to be submitted to the Federal Ministry of Youth Development and relevant committees of the National Assembly as the government moves toward finalising the next National Youth Policy.
Culled from Vanguard Newspapers
