FG To Take Youth Confab To 360 Constituencies, Diaspora In October
Bilkisu Adejoh/Oru Leonard
The Federal Government is preparing to put Nigerian youths at the centre of a two-week national conversation in October, with young people from all 360 federal constituencies and the diaspora expected to contribute ideas on how to tackle some of the country’s biggest challenges.
The National Youth Confab 2026 will begin with a nationwide virtual consultation before bringing selected youth delegates to Abuja for a physical conference where they will discuss issues ranging from jobs and education to security, technology, governance and climate change.
Addressing journalists on Thursday, 17th September 2026, at the presidential villa, the Honourable Minister of Youth Development, Hon. Ayodele Olawande, said the initiative was designed to give young Nigerians a direct role in shaping policies and solutions that affect their lives.
With the theme, “Next Gen Nigeria: Crafting Solutions, Owning the Future,” the Confab is expected to move beyond speeches and position young people as contributors to national problem-solving.
Olawande said the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, working with youth networks and other stakeholders, wanted the process to hear not only from young entrepreneurs, students and professionals, but also from farmers, technology innovators, Nigerians in the diaspora and young people who feel left out of national conversations.
The first week will be conducted virtually, with Nigerians aged 18 to 35 invited to participate and submit memoranda, ideas and policy proposals through a dedicated online portal.
Those submissions will help shape discussions at the physical conference in Abuja during the second week.
The Abuja gathering will have one youth delegate from each of Nigeria’s 360 federal constituencies, alongside six delegates representing Nigerians in the diaspora, as well as relevant stakeholders and observers.
The organisers said the selection process would consider merit, grassroots representation, gender balance, regional inclusion and the participation of persons with disabilities and other marginalised groups.
The programme will feature expert panels, policy laboratories, innovation showcases, networking sessions and focused discussions.
Rather than allowing the conference to become another gathering where young people make recommendations that disappear into a report, the ministry says it plans to create structures to follow up on the outcomes.
These will include a Multi-Stakeholder Youth Confab Taskforce, a Youth Confab Impact Index, continued youth policy dialogues and a youth-led monitoring and accountability framework.
According to Olawande, the mechanisms will help track government commitments, measure progress and keep the conversation between young people and decision-makers alive after the conference ends.
The discussions will focus on six broad areas: 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; and social harmony and security.
The minister said the aim was to turn discussions around these issues into practical and implementable recommendations.
He also urged young Nigerians at home and abroad to take advantage of the process by registering, submitting ideas, sharing their experiences and proposing solutions to problems affecting their communities.
“We understand that young Nigerians do not need another document that will be produced and forgotten. They need action, opportunities, measurable commitments and institutions that listen and respond to their needs,” Olawande said.
The minister said the initiative reflected the Federal Government’s recognition that young Nigerians should not be treated simply as leaders of tomorrow, but as partners in nation-building today.
He called on youths across the 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory and the diaspora to participate actively in the national engagement.
The real test of the Confab, however, will come after the Abuja meeting whether the ideas gathered from young Nigerians translate into measurable commitments, policies and actions that affect their everyday lives.
About the The National Youth Conference (Youth Confab) 2026
The National Youth Confab is scheduled to hold in October 2026 as follows,
Virtual consultation: 5–21 October 2026
Physical National Conference in Abuja: 26–30 October 2026
Participants: Youths aged 18–35, with representation from Nigeria’s 360 federal constituencies, the six geopolitical zones and the diaspora.
Theme: “Next Gen Nigeria: Crafting Solutions, Owning the Future.”
The Abuja phase will bring together 360 constituency delegates, alongside diaspora representatives and other stakeholders, with recommendations expected to be presented to the President.
Registration is scheduled to close on 20 September 2026.
National Youth Conference
nationalyouthconfab.gov.ng
