The former president of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, Wale Ajani, has urged the organisers of the National Youth Conference to move beyond discussions and ensure the implementation of actionable decisions capable of addressing the challenges confronting young Nigerians.

The National Youth Confab 2026, which commenced in Abuja, is an initiative of the Federal Ministry of Youth Development aimed at bringing young Nigerians together to contribute to national policy discussions and proffer practical solutions to the country’s development challenges.

Speaking on Arise News on Friday, Ajani said the success of the National Youth Conference would depend largely on whether its deliberations translated into concrete actions capable of improving the lives of young Nigerians.

“I think it’s a thing of joy that this is happening, two years after the promise of Mr. President that there will be a National Youth Confab, and it’s happening today. On behalf of Nigerian youth, thank you for making it happen.

“Beyond the convergence, I think young people need to take the bull by the horns. They need to understand the fact that this is just a platform, and they should also make it clear that they are not just here for conversation, but they are there to actually engage. Whatever they engage on, there should be a process for implementation.

“Beyond talking, let there be action. Let there be action that is impactful in the lives of young people, and that’s the only time I would really give a nod to what the government is doing.”

Following his call for meaningful youth participation, Ajani identified job creation, education and security as key areas the conference should address, stressing that its outcome must translate into tangible improvements in the lives of young Nigerians.

He said employment should be the foremost priority of the conference, stressing the need for sustainable jobs and opportunities that would enable young Nigerians to earn a livelihood. He also highlighted the potential of artificial intelligence to create jobs, improve young people’s skills and expand economic opportunities.

“I think that they need to, as a matter of importance, make sure that the real young people actually participate in the confab.

“We need to understand that number one on the plate of any young person in Nigeria is jobs, number two is jobs, number three is jobs—and I’m talking about sustainable jobs, what they can do. I am expecting that the conversation should be how to get more jobs. On the role of AI, beyond the bad side of AI, that there are so many opportunities for young people in terms of creating employment for them, enhancing their knowledge, and giving them a sustainable livelihood.

“When we talk about education, the question is: how in the future, whether you’re a son or a daughter of a rich man or not, can you get to the best university and also graduate without stress?

“Number three is the issue of security, with what has been happening to our young people, most especially the corps members, where some of them are at risk. What measures will be put in place?”

Ajani further stressed the importance of youth ownership of the conference, urging organisers to ensure that young Nigerians are given greater space to shape discussions and decisions affecting them.

He recalled the slogan, “Anything for the youth without the youth is not for the youth,” and argued that young people should be allowed to take charge of initiatives designed to address their concerns.

“We were the ones that started the slogan, ‘Anything for the youth without the youth is not for the youth.’ We should allow the young people to take charge. Like I said, I want to repeat this: Ahmed is one of those people that chased us out of the youth demographic, so I think he should also leave that demographic so that the young people could take charge themselves.”

Urging delegates to the conference to resist political influence, Ajani said they must remain focused on issues affecting their future and ensure that its resolutions translate into concrete action beyond the event.

“One of the things that young people who are delegates should do is to first of all make sure that they are not going there because they are from a particular political party. They need to understand that the purpose why they are there is to discuss their future, things that have to do with them.”

He also cautioned that the conference should not end with another report gathering dust, urging the organisers and delegates to establish a clear implementation and follow-up process for the resolutions reached.

“At the same time, young people need to understand that it is all about them, and they should not allow—because politicians will always come and go, and they will always tell you what you want to hear at every point in time. But for young people who believe that the future of Nigeria is greater than anybody, because they are the future of this country, they must be able to stand their ground, be focused, and make the dialogue something that has to do with development and shaping the Nigerian future. In the next couple of years, people who are 35 years and below now will be in charge of this government.

“Beyond that report, it’s not just about reports; it’s about implementation of the report. That’s where I want the young people to hammer on. Don’t just bring us together for the purpose of politics and say we have a convergence of 360 young people. Afterward, what is going to happen? The Minister is there today; there is no guarantee that after the election he will also be there. All these things need to be clear to young people so they know they are not just going there to waste their time.

“In this country, Nigerian government spent a lot for the National Confab. Where is the report today? What has been done about the report? Some of us are not new to convergences, but at this critical point of Nigeria, young people need to think beyond and outside the box, stand their ground as we are discussing, and also discuss the implementation process and follow up to make sure that they didn’t waste their time.” (Arise News)

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