The Federal Government has officially launched the registration portal for the 2025 National Youth Conference, also known as Youth Confab 2025. The announcement was made in Abuja on Monday by the Honourable Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande.
Speaking at the launch, Olawande reaffirmed that, under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the conference will be youth-led, inclusive, and non-partisan, with the goal of uniting young Nigerians from all wards, communities, states, and the diaspora to co-create the nation's future.
Highlighting the fact that over 70% of Nigeria’s population is under 35, the Minister underscored the importance of youth involvement, urging young people to transition “from protest to policy, from problems to solutions, and from challenges to progress.”
Olawande outlined a multi-tiered participatory process for the conference, including:
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Virtual engagements with the diaspora
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Consultations across all 360 federal constituencies
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Zonal consolidation meetings in the six geopolitical zones
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A culminating National Conference in Abuja
He also revealed the six thematic pillars guiding the Confab’s deliberations:
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Governance and Political Participation
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Economic Transformation and Job Creation
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Education and Skills
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Technology and Innovation
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Climate Change and Energy Transition
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Social Inclusion and Security
“The implementation of this process will be anchored on transparency, inclusivity, and innovation,” he added, encouraging students, entrepreneurs, artisans, creatives, professionals, and young Nigerians in the diaspora to register on the newly launched portal and participate fully.
Also speaking, Olubunmi Olusanya, Chairman of the National Planning Committee for Youth Confab 2025, emphasized the government’s commitment to leveraging youth potential through structured dialogue.
Olusanya noted that the launch of the portal signals the start of key activities such as virtual consultations, policy paper submissions, constituency-level engagements, and zonal meetings, all leading to the National Conference in Abuja.
According to him, the Confab structure is intentionally designed to reflect Nigeria’s diverse youth population, prioritizing inclusion, respect, and equity.
At the federal constituency level alone, 36,000 youths are expected to participate, while 370 delegates will be involved in the zonal consolidation meetings. Youths in the diaspora will also contribute through online platforms, making the Confab a truly global effort.
To ensure fairness, the delegate selection process will be merit-based and transparent, with:
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90% of participants aged 18–35, and 10% above 35 to promote intergenerational dialogue
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A 50:50 gender balance
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Priority given to persons with disabilities and marginalized groups
Olusanya further revealed that three post-confab mechanisms have been developed to ensure implementation of the recommendations:
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A Multi-Stakeholder Youth Confab Taskforce to oversee execution across sectors
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A Youth-Led Monitoring and Accountability Framework to track commitments
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A Youth Confab Impact Index to assess influence on policy, institutional reforms, and governance
“The Youth Confab is not a one-off event but a national project founded on youth ownership, constructive debate, and transformative thinking,” Olusanya said. “Our aim is to institutionalize youth voices in national policy-making.”
He urged all interested youths to visit the official portal https://nationalyouthconfab.gov.ng to register and engage in the consultation process. Registration and memorandum submission close at 6:00 p.m. on June 30, 2025.
ADEOLA KUNLE
