Nigerian youths have issued one of their most far-reaching political and economic reform blueprints in recent years, demanding sweeping changes to governance, economic structure, and civic participation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The demands were made at the maiden National Youth Conference organised by the National Youth Stakeholders’ Forum (NYSF) in Abuja, where youth leaders from across the country joined policymakers, traditional rulers, business executives, and civil society actors in what is emerging as a coordinated push for generational inclusion in national decision-making.
Held under the theme “The Future of Nigerian Youths and Expectations from Political Leaders: Demanding Accountability, Inclusion and Sustainable Development Ahead of the 2027 Elections,” the conference evolved into a powerful platform for articulating what participants described as a unified and uncompromising youth agenda.
At the centre of the proposals is a demand for the establishment of a National Youth Development Commission and a National Youth Trust Fund—two institutional frameworks the youths insist are necessary to move youth policy from rhetoric to enforceable action.
They argued that only legally backed institutions can guarantee sustainable investment in entrepreneurship, innovation, skills development, and employment creation for Nigeria’s growing youth population.
Convener of the forum and President of the Yoruba Council Worldwide, HRM Aare Sooko Oladotun Hassan, said Nigerian youths have reached a breaking point with symbolic inclusion, insisting that they must now be integrated into the actual machinery of governance.
According to him, the era of token representation is over, as young Nigerians are demanding binding structures that guarantee participation, accountability, and measurable impact.
“We are not asking to inherit the future; we are demanding a role in shaping the present,” Hassan declared, drawing strong reactions from participants.
The charter further calls for a National Youth Rights Act to constitutionally entrench youth protection, participation, and equal opportunity across governance and public policy systems.
Security reforms also featured prominently, with delegates proposing a Police Marshal System that integrates youth organisations into structured collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force to address cultism, cybercrime, drug abuse, and community insecurity through preventive engagement rather than reactive force.
Participants also demanded the translation of the Nigerian Constitution into major indigenous languages, arguing that civic exclusion is often driven by lack of accessible legal and governance literacy among citizens.
On the economic front, the conference adopted a hardline position on youth unemployment, describing it as a national emergency requiring immediate intervention. Among the proposals is a mandatory 30 per cent youth employment quota in all public institutions and in private firms executing government contracts.
To tackle food insecurity and rural unemployment, the forum proposed a National Agricultural Youth Scheme that would provide structured access to land, financing, modern farming tools, inputs, and guaranteed off-take markets for young farmers nationwide.
Beyond youth-focused interventions, the conference advanced broader structural reforms, including a single seven-year presidential tenure based on geopolitical rotation, the creation of a National Joint Regional Security Network, and a National Staple Commodities and Price Control Agency aimed at stabilising food and transport costs.
In the energy sector, the youths called for accelerated local refining capacity, an end to excessive dependence on fuel imports, and a review of existing petroleum governance frameworks to increase benefits accruing to host communities.
National Chairman of NYSF, Mallam Jamilu Ahmad, described Nigeria’s youthful population as the country’s most powerful but underutilised asset, stressing that economic transformation depends on deliberate investment in infrastructure, industrialisation, and enterprise development.
He said unlocking youth potential is not only an economic necessity but a condition for long-term national stability.
As part of its resolutions, the forum announced plans to formally present the Youth Charter on Accountability, Inclusion, Security and Sustainable Development to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for consideration, signalling an intent to move from advocacy to direct policy engagement.
Former Kano State Governor, Ibrahim Shekarau, urged participants to complement their demands with discipline, perseverance, and leadership readiness, warning that sustainable change requires both pressure on leaders and personal responsibility from citizens.
For many participants, the conference marked a turning point—less a routine gathering and more a declaration that Nigerian youths are now organising themselves as a political and economic force ahead of 2027, with clear expectations for systemic transformation.
