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Torkwase Nyiekaa
The House of Representatives has called on Nigerian youths to take a leading role in shaping the country’s democratic future by participating actively in the electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections, insisting that the strength of Nigeria’s democracy will largely depend on the choices, conduct and civic engagement of young citizens.
The appeal was made on Thursday during the Youth Town Hall, one of the flagship events of the 2026 National Assembly Open Week held at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja. The forum brought together lawmakers, government officials, development partners, civil society organisations, youth leaders and students to deliberate on expanding youth participation in governance, democratic accountability and nation-building.
Speaking on behalf of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, the House Majority Leader, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, said the 10th House had deliberately positioned youth development and inclusion as central pillars of its legislative agenda.
He noted that the Youth Town Hall has grown beyond an annual conversation into an institutional platform through which young Nigerians contribute meaningfully to national policymaking and legislative reforms.
According to Ihonvbere, several recommendations made by participants during previous editions of the forum have already found expression in constitutional amendment proposals currently before the National Assembly, as well as in other national policy initiatives.
“Many of the ideas now reflected in the ongoing constitutional amendment proposals and other national policies were shaped by contributions made during previous editions of this Town Hall. Your voices have influenced outcomes, and that is precisely why this platform remains relevant,” he stated.
He said the House has continued to pursue legislation designed to expand opportunities for young Nigerians, citing the passage of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Reform Bill, the proposed Nigerian Youth Welfare Scheme Fund Bill sponsored by Speaker Abbas, and a constitutional amendment bill seeking to reduce the minimum age for governorship candidates from 35 to 30 years.
The Majority Leader also highlighted reforms in education financing, taxation, electricity, cybersecurity and the digital economy, describing them as strategic measures aimed at creating a more enabling environment for innovation, entrepreneurship and employment.
With political activities ahead of the 2027 elections gradually gathering momentum, Ihonvbere described Nigerian youths as the country’s largest voting bloc and one of the most decisive forces in determining the credibility of future elections.
“The quality of our elections and the future of our democracy will, to a large extent, be determined by the choices, conduct and active involvement of young Nigerians,” he said.
He reaffirmed the commitment of the House of Representatives to ensuring that young people become active partners in governance rather than passive recipients of government policies.
According to him, the legislature has intentionally focused on policies that improve access to quality education, strengthen digital literacy, promote entrepreneurship, encourage innovation and modernise institutions capable of generating sustainable employment opportunities for millions of Nigerian youths.
In his goodwill message, the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, commended the National Assembly for institutionalising the Youth Town Hall, describing it as an important platform for strengthening engagement between young Nigerians and the legislature.
He observed that previous administrations had inadvertently widened the gap between young people and public institutions but said deliberate efforts are now being made to promote inclusive governance and sustained dialogue.
“It is very important that young Nigerians are given the space to speak, ask questions, share ideas and take part in decisions that affect their future,” the minister said.
Olawande disclosed that the Ministry of Youth Development has introduced several platforms to facilitate direct interaction between government and young citizens while implementing programmes focused on entrepreneurship, digital skills development, vocational training and access to affordable financing.
He identified the Nigerian Youth Academy, digital skills initiatives, youth enterprise support programmes and the proposed Youth Green Fund as some of the interventions designed to prepare young Nigerians for opportunities in the rapidly expanding digital and green economies.
Also speaking, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Khalil Suleiman Halilu, urged young Nigerians to embrace innovation, technology and artificial intelligence as critical drivers of national development and global competitiveness.
He argued that innovation, rather than natural resource endowment, would increasingly determine the prosperity of nations, disclosing that NASENI’s Innovate Nigeria programme currently provides grants of up to ₦250 million to support innovators, inventors and technology-driven enterprises.
Halilu encouraged young people to continuously upgrade their skills and develop practical solutions capable of addressing Nigeria’s socio-economic challenges.
On its part, Yiaga Africa called on Nigerian youths to translate their enthusiasm for democratic governance into sustained civic engagement before, during and after the 2027 general elections.
Representing the organisation, a speaker urged eligible young Nigerians to register to vote, participate actively in elections, reject misinformation, violence and hate speech, and hold elected officials accountable based on issues, competence and performance rather than ethnic or sectional considerations.
Yiaga Africa, which supports the Youth Town Hall under the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria Programme, also commended the National Assembly for promoting transparency, openness and citizen participation through the annual National Assembly Open Week.
The Youth Town Hall forms part of activities lined up for the 2026 National Assembly Open Week, an initiative designed to deepen public engagement with the legislature, promote transparency in lawmaking and strengthen citizens’ participation in Nigeria’s democratic process.
Against the backdrop of preparations for the 2027 general elections, discussions at the forum underscored the growing consensus among policymakers and civil society that meaningful youth participation will be critical to the credibility, inclusiveness and sustainability of Nigeria’s democracy.