We are happy to share that the Nigeria Youth SDGs Network, registered as the Network of Youth for Sustainable Initiative (NGYouthSDGs), features in Forus International’s newly published global report, Unlocking the Power of Localisation and Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships to Rescue the SDGs. Our work is highlighted on pages 90 to 93 as a leading example of how youth are advancing sustainable development through locally-led action.
At NGYouthSDGs, we believe real change starts by listening to young people. In 2020, we partnered with the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, the International Labour Organisation (ILO), and the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs to co-develop the Nigeria Youth Employment Action Plan (NIYEAP). We reached over 213,000 young Nigerians through surveys and brought together more than 850 youth organisations for consultations called youth labs. Their input directly shaped the NIYEAP, Nigeria’s response to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, to create 3.5 million new jobs for young people each year.
With support from the ILO, we rolled out the Skills for Employment programme in Adamawa, Benue, and Lagos, training 90 young people in digital skills aligned with NIYEAP’s priorities. On climate action, we trained 364 young leaders in climate justice and educated 178 youth-led organisations about Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC 3.0), ensuring youth voices influence national climate decisions.
To celebrate and inspire more youth-led impact, we launched the Youth Day Spotlight Awards. Since 2022, we have recognised 150 outstanding young Nigerians for their work in advancing the SDGs across different sectors and communities.
Forus International’s recognition affirms the value of the work we are doing to create opportunities for young Nigerians to lead and thrive. While limited funding remains a challenge, our commitment to driving youth-led change is unwavering.
You can download the full report here.
