FCT MINISTER HAILS YOUTH CREATIVITY, PLEDGES GREATER SUPPORT AT INTERNATIONAL YOUTH DAY 2025 CELEBRATION
By: Darlington Omotoso.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, CON, has lauded Nigerian youths as “the heartbeat of the nation’s future” and pledged his administration’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for them to thrive.
Delivering a goodwill message at the 2025 International Youth Day celebration at the DMO Event Centre, Central Area, Abuja, Wike, who was represented by the Mandate Secretary, FCT Youth and Sports Development Secretariat, Alhaji Lawan Kolo Geidam, commended the creativity, entrepreneurship, and cultural diversity on display at the Youth Innovation fair.
“I am very proud of you and can’t help imagining what greater potential lies within you, waiting to be harnessed for productive purposes in our quest for sustainable national development,” he said. “As we celebrate this day dedicated to the energy, potentials, and aspirations of young people, let us recommit ourselves to empowering them to become agents of positive change,” he added.
The event, themed “Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond”, was organised by the Federal Ministry of Youth Development in collaboration with the UN Inter-Agency Group. It featured exhibitions by youth-led enterprises, innovation pitch sessions, master classes, and cultural showcases.
In his keynote address, the Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, called on the private sector, donor agencies, and civil society to make sustained investments in youth-led innovations, describing young Nigerians as co-creators of solutions to national and global challenges.
“Your innovation is the bridge between today’s Nigeria and the Nigeria we dream for future generations,” Olawande told participants, stressing the need for funding, mentorship, and market access for youth innovators.
He stated that with over 60% of Nigeria’s population under the age of 25, the nation’s youthful demographic represents its greatest asset, already driving change in sectors such as agriculture, health, education, renewable energy, and digital technology.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Olubunmi Olusanya, reaffirmed the government’s commitment under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to prioritising youth development through initiatives like the Nigeria Youth Academy, Nigeria Youth Help Desk, and Nigeria Youth Parliament.
The UNDP Resident Representative in Nigeria, Ms. Elsie Attafuah, described Nigerian youth as “problem solvers, innovators, and nation-builders of today” and emphasised that achieving the Sustainable Development Goals requires grassroots action in communities, campuses, and neighbourhoods across the country.
She noted that young people are already reimagining agriculture, pioneering green enterprises, using technology for solutions, and deploying art for peacebuilding. “When young people are equipped with the right tools, platforms, and trust, they do not just participate in change — they lead it,” she said.
The colourful celebration featured innovative booths, pitch sessions, networking opportunities, dazzling cultural performances, and the showcasing of creative projects, leaving participants energised to continue driving positive change in their communities beyond 2030.
