From November 3 – 6, global leaders, development partners, civil society, the private sector, and youth will gather in Doha, Qatar, for the Second World Social Summit, an opportunity to redefine what social progress means in an age of inequality, climate disruption, and rapid technological change.
For young people across the world, this is an opportunity to advocate for youth leadership and meaningful engagement to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals with the creativity and resilience of youth. In the face of rising inequalities, it is a platform to contribute to the attainment of social justice and shared prosperity.
From Copenhagen to Doha: A Call Renewed
The first World Summit for Social Development, held in Copenhagen in 1995, set three enduring goals: eradicating poverty, achieving full employment, and fostering social inclusion. It called for putting people at the heart of development, an agenda that remains unfinished.
Thirty years later, the Doha Summit revisits this vision in a world that is more connected, but also more unequal. The question now is how countries, especially those with vibrant youth populations like Nigeria, can turn demographic potential into sustainable, inclusive growth.
Nigeria’s Youth and the Trillion-Dollar Vision
Nigeria’s ambition to build a trillion-dollar economy by 2030 depends on one thing above all: its youth. With more than 60% of our population under 30, the creativity, innovation, and drive of young people are Nigeria’s greatest renewable resource.
Across technology, green enterprise, education, and civic action, young Nigerians are already shaping solutions that reflect the spirit of Copenhagen: people-centered, inclusive, and transformative. Startups like LifeBank, Paystack, EcoBarter, AltSchool Africa, Flutterwave, and dozens of youth-led social enterprises are redefining what African leadership looks like in the digital age.
The Doha Summit offers a platform to showcase these stories, forge new partnerships, and attract the kind of investment and collaboration that can empower millions more young Nigerians to thrive.
Why Doha Matters Now
For Nigeria’s youth leaders and advocates, Doha is an opportunity to connect our local realities to global ambitions, from tackling unemployment and climate vulnerability to advancing social protection and education for all. It is a reminder that global transformation starts with local leadership.
As the world searches for pathways to social resilience and inclusive growth, young Nigerians must position themselves not as beneficiaries of development, but as co-architects of the solutions that drive it.
Looking Ahead
The journey from Copenhagen to Doha is, in many ways, the story of our time, the struggle to make growth equitable, opportunity accessible, and progress sustainable. As Nigeria works towards a trillion-dollar economy, its young people stand at the intersection of aspiration and action.
Doha matters because it reminds us that our generation is not waiting for the future, they are building it.
