By Fatima Ndagi
Chairman of the House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee, Hon. Bamidele Salam, says Africa’s destiny will be determined not by its natural resources but by the quality of values and vision instilled in its children today.
Speaking ahead of the 2025 National Children’s Leadership Conference (NCLC), Salam said the initiative is designed to raise a new generation of digitally skilled, socially responsible, and ethically grounded young Africans.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Monday, the lawmaker explained that the five-day conference, organised by the Children of Africa Leadership and Values Development Initiative (CALDEV), will run from November 17 to 21, 2025, in Abuja.
Represented by the NCLC 2025 Planning Committee Chair, Dr. Chibuzo Okereke, Salam announced that several high-profile leaders—including Vice President Kashim Shettima, First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, Governor Ademola Adeleke, and Miss Rinsola Abiola, Director-General of the Nigerian Citizens and Leadership Center—will grace the event.
This year’s theme, “The Role of Children in Nation Building: Digitally Smart, Socially Responsible,” focuses on empowering children with leadership skills, digital literacy, and civic consciousness.
Salam said over 400 participants aged 13–19 are expected from across Africa—including Zambia, Gambia, Uganda, and Ghana—for what he described as “an extraordinary experience of learning, leadership, and community development.”
“The future of Africa lies in the values and vision we plant in our children,” Salam said. “At CALDEV, we are committed to nurturing children who are intelligent, compassionate, and ready to lead with integrity.”
He noted that the conference’s grand finale will coincide with Universal Children’s Day on November 20, underscoring CALDEV’s mission to amplify children’s voices as active contributors to nation-building.
The 2025 edition will feature several interactive sessions, including the launch of Salam’s new book, “The Power of a Teenager: 50 Ways to Inspire Change,” a mock children’s parliamentary session, and digital workshops covering artificial intelligence, video editing, graphic design, and Microsoft Office tools.
Other highlights include public speaking training, community problem-solving challenges, excursions to the National Assembly, and the popular “Leader in the Making” segment.
A major highlight will be the Early Achievers Awards Ceremony, recognising children who have shown outstanding creativity, leadership, and social impact. Four young Nigerians will receive the Distinguished CALDEV Africa Early Achievers Award, which Salam described as “proof of what children can achieve when given the right opportunities.”
Programme Partner and Director of Safe Africa, Amina Abubakar, praised the NCLC as “a unique initiative that gives children firsthand experience in leadership and governance.”
“This programme doesn’t just teach leadership—it allows children to live it,” she said. “It shapes their mindset early and inspires them to become responsible change-makers.”
Toromade Faderera, CALDEV Programme Officer, said the surge in partnerships and applications each year reflects the growing impact of the initiative.
“Every year, we receive an overwhelming number of applications from across Africa,” she said. “It shows how much young people value this platform that gives them visibility, voice, and validation.”
Since its debut in 2021, the National Children’s Leadership Conference has become one of Africa’s largest gatherings of young leaders, offering children the opportunity to learn, lead, and participate meaningfully in national development.
Founded in 2015 by Rep. Salam, CALDEV continues to mentor and train children across Africa, championing education, leadership, and children’s rights as essential pillars of progress.
“Children are not just the leaders of tomorrow,” Salam concluded. “They are leaders of today—if only we give them the chance.”