SEO Riders:
– Youth innovation driving Nigeria’s SDG achievement
– Funding and mentorship for young changemakers
– Empowering youth as co-creators of sustainable solutions
Nigeria’s Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, made a compelling call during the International Youth Day 2025 Youth Innovation Funfair, urging the nation’s youth to spearhead innovation for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. Highlighting that over 60% of Nigeria’s population is under 25, he described young Nigerians not as future prospects, but as “co-creators of solutions” across critical sectors like agriculture, renewable energy, education, health, and digital technology.
Acknowledging the barriers they face—including limited access to finance and markets—Olawande introduced the Innovation Funfair as a platform that connects youth-led innovators with long-term investments, mentorship, and market opportunities. He reinforced the federal government’s commitment under the Renewed Hope Agenda to amplify youth development via initiatives like the Nigeria Youth Academy, Youth Help Desk, Youth Parliament, and digital skills and entrepreneurship programs aimed at elevating youth voices in policy-making and implementation.
UNDP Resident Representative in Nigeria, Elsie G. Attafuah, also addressed the event, emphasizing the significance of local action in SDG achievement. She underscored youth leadership in green enterprise, agriculture, technology, and creative peacebuilding. She noted that UNDP is championing a $1 billion pan-African innovation initiative—the Timbuktoo programme—with “UniPods” being established across Nigeria for sectors like ethical AI, agritech, green mining, peace-tech, and agro-processing, expected to be operational by end-2025.
Takeaway: The government’s message is clear: Youth must be empowered—not just included—as partners in realizing the SDGs. Through strategic support, investment, and elevated participation, they can drive Nigeria’s sustainable transformation, locally and globally.
