Tinubu orders immediate implementation of youth confab resolutions

President Bola Tinubu has directed the Federal Ministry of Youth Development to immediately commence the implementation of the resolutions of the 2026 National Youth Conference, insisting that the recommendations must translate into measurable results.

The development was contained in a statement signed by the Assistant Director, Information and Public Relations Department in the Ministry of Youth Development, Nwachukwu Christian, on Monday.

Tinubu, represented by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, gave the directive on Monday at the closing of the conference held at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja.

The President directed the Minister, Ayodele Olawande, to work with relevant ministries, departments and agencies, state governments, the private sector and development partners to develop an implementation framework with clear priorities, assigned responsibilities, realistic timelines and measurable indicators.

He also demanded that young Nigerians be actively involved in implementing and monitoring the conference resolutions, saying their participation should not end with consultations and deliberations.

Tinubu said, “The real test of this conference begins after today. I do not want the recommendations of this conference to become another report gathering dust on government shelves. I want them to become a guide for action.

“You must not be invited to the table only when decisions are being discussed. You must also have a place at the table when those decisions are being implemented.”

Acknowledging the challenges confronting Nigerian youths, including unemployment, the rising cost of living, limited access to education and business opportunities, and insecurity, the President said his administration was committed to creating opportunities through economic reforms and investments.

He listed the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, the Three Million Technical Talent programme, YouthCred and the Nigerian Youth Academy among the initiatives designed to support young people.

Tinubu, however, stressed the need to ensure that skills acquisition translated into employment, innovation attracted investment and young entrepreneurs gained greater access to finance.

Earlier, Olawande disclosed that the conference had produced an 18-point action agenda covering six priority areas following nationwide virtual consultations and physical deliberations involving youth representatives from across the country and the diaspora.

The minister said the conference was designed to give young Nigerians a stronger voice in national decision-making, adding that the ministry would work to ensure that the recommendations translated into policies, programmes and opportunities.

“For the first time in the history of this country, the youth can feel the government, see the government, and touch the government,” Olawande said.

He explained that the recommendations would be pursued through relevant executive, legislative and judicial channels, with the ministry collaborating with stakeholders to secure the necessary institutional support.

In his keynote address, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, urged young Nigerians to contribute more actively to shaping the country’s economic future and strengthening investor confidence.

Oyedele warned that negative perceptions and distorted narratives about Nigeria could discourage investment, undermine economic confidence and limit employment and business opportunities for young people.

“A factory that is not built means jobs that are not created,” he said, urging the delegates to embrace constructive engagement, innovation and practical solutions to national challenges.

He stressed the need to translate economic progress into tangible benefits for Nigerians through increased investment, production, job creation and shared prosperity.

The National Youth Conference was convened by the Tinubu’s administration to bring together young Nigerians at home and in the diaspora to deliberate on national issues and develop recommendations on youth participation in governance, economic development and nation-building.

President Tinubu first announced plans to host the month-long youth confab during an Independence Day address in October 2024, describing the event as “a platform to address the diverse challenges and opportunities confronting our young people.”

Meanwhile, Olawande declared the physical phase of the conference open on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, with delegates drawn from all federal constituencies across the country.

The physical phase followed a three-week virtual conference held between October 2 and 21, 2026, across the six geopolitical zones of the country.