The federal government has launched the official portal for the National Youth Conference 2025, also known as the Youth Confab, with an estimated 36,000 young Nigerians expected to participate.
Announced on Monday in Abuja by the Ministry of Youth Development, during a press briefing, the portal is expected to facilitate the registration of delegates and participation in virtual consultations for young people across Nigeria and in the diaspora.
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The launch of the Youth Confab portal follows the recent inauguration of the National Planning Committee by President Bola Tinubu, as part of efforts to strengthen the economy for the prosperity of Nigerian youths, who constitute more than 60 per cent of the population.
This year’s conference themed “Next Gen Nigeria: Crafting Solutions, Owning the Future,” highlights the urgent need for a generational shift in governance and development planning.
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Youth Inclusion
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, described the Youth Confab as more than a conference.
Mr Olawande said it marks a national turning point, a movement designed to position young people at the heart of policymaking and implementation.
He explained that the conference would give young Nigerians from every community, state, and the diaspora the opportunity to unite, engage and reshape the country’s future.
“This conference will provide young Nigerians from every ward, community, state, and the diaspora the opportunity to unite, engage and reshape the future of our nation,” he said.
He noted that the Youth Confab would be executed through a multi-level participatory process, beginning with a virtual engagement for young Nigerians in the diaspora to ensure their voices are reflected in national conversations.
Mr Olawande said this will be followed by consultations in all 360 federal constituencies, designed to give every young Nigerian the opportunity to contribute.
He said zonal consultations will be held in each of the six geopolitical zones, where grassroots feedback will be harmonised.
The final stage will be a national conference in Abuja, where selected delegates will co-create and present policy recommendations for consideration at the highest levels of government.
Mr Olawande also highlighted the six thematic pillars around which discussions will be framed; Governance, Leadership, and Political Participation; Economic Transformation, Entrepreneurship, and Job Creation; Education and Skills for the Future; Technology, Innovation, and Digital Transformation; Climate Change and Energy Transition; Social inclusion and Security.
He urged all young Nigerians, students, entrepreneurs, creatives, artisans, professionals and those in the diaspora to step forward and contribute to the nation’s development.
Inclusive representation, delegate selection
Speaking at the launch, Chairman of the National Planning Committee, Olubunmi Olusanya, stated that 90 per cent of delegates will be young Nigerians between the ages of 18 and 35, while the remaining 10 per cent will consist of participants above 35 to foster intergenerational dialogue.
Mr Olusanya explained that the selection process will be merit-based and carefully structured to balance grassroots inclusion, sectoral expertise, and regional diversity.
He said delegates will be drawn from youth organisations, community-based groups, student unions, and statutory youth bodies.
He said a 50:50 gender ratio will be maintained, and special attention will be given to persons with special needs and other marginalised groups to ensure that a wide range of perspectives inform the national conversation.
To ensure that the Confab delivers lasting impact, Mr Olusanya outlined three mechanisms through which resolutions from the conference will be acted upon.
These include administrative action through presidential directives or policy reforms; legislative action involving new or amended laws; and, where required, constitutional amendments.
He added that implementation will be driven by a deliberate post-Confab strategy, including the formation of a Multi-Stakeholder Youth Confab Task Force made up of representatives from government, civil society, the private sector, and youth-led organisations. The task force will work to integrate conference recommendations into both national and sub-national governance frameworks.
A youth-led monitoring and accountability framework will also be established to track institutional and government commitments.
Additionally, the committee will launch a Youth Confab Impact Index ,a tool designed to measure how far the conference resolutions influence real-world policy reforms and youth development programmes.
Mr Olusanya, outlined the next steps in the lead-up to the conference.
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“In the coming weeks, the planning committee will roll out induction meetings, technical sessions, consultations, town halls, and stakeholder engagements,” he said.
“The launch of the official youth confab portal and virtual consultation marks the official commencement of the national youth activities.”
Registration for interested participants is currently open via the official Confab portal. The deadline to apply is 30 June 2025 by 6:00 p.m.
