The EU Youth Sounding Board (EU-YSB), a youth advisory body of the European Union in Nigeria, and the Youth Advisory Council (YAC) of the Netherlands Consulate in Lagos, on Wednesday, called on the Nigerian government and other stakeholders to prioritise digital empowerment of young Nigerians.
The youth advisory bodies made this call during an event tagged 'Future Forward Dialogue 2024' and organized in commemoration of the 2024 International Youth Day (IYD).
In his opening remarks, the Chairman of YAC, Babajide Oluwase, said the event is a collaborative effort of the youth advisory councils of the EU and the Netherlands Consulate in Lagos. He added that the theme of the IYD 2024, 'From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development,' is particularly relevant to the focus of the dialogue.
He said, "This event is a collaborative effort between the Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) of the Netherlands Consulate in Lagos and the European Union Youth Sounding Board in Nigeria (EU YSB). We are grateful to the Netherlands Consulate and the EU delegation for their unwavering commitment to youth engagement and their trust in our ability to organise this meaningful event.
"In an increasingly digital world, young people have the potential to be powerful agents of change. By harnessing the power of technology, young people are driving innovation, creating sustainable solutions, and contributing to the overall development of Nigeria."
Oluwase described the dialogue as an avenue to hear directly from young people and youth-based organizations about their experiences, challenges and aspirations.
He added that it will also examine existing frameworks and processes to identify areas for improvement and innovation, while developing actionable recommendations to inform the work of the Netherlands Consulate and the European Union in Nigeria.
On his part, Peter Keulers, the Deputy Consul General of the Netherlands Consulate in Lagos, applauded the efforts of the EU-YSB and YAC for the contributions to youth developmment.
He said, "We as the Dutch government in Nigeria try to contribute and help to harness the skills of young Nigerians and we have several programmes outlined for their growth.
"And we will continue playing this role with relevant authorities. We'll partner with the Nigerian government together with international organisations, like the World Bank, UN agencies, other agencies and the civil societies to play important roles in youth development."
Representing the Lagos state government, Mobolaji Ogunlende, state Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, commended the youth advisory bodies for their vision and dedication to empower young Nigerians.
Speaking on the IYD theme, he said, "I am reminded of the vast potential that lies within our youth. And I am proud to say that the Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development is committed to unlocking this potential.
"One of our programs, The Lagos Youth: The Upskilling Program (LAG-UP), is a testament to this commitment. Partnership with Wema and GFA technologies (collaboration)."
The commissioner further highlighted several programmes of the Lagos state government aimed at providing youths with the right tools to succeed.
Ogunlende said, "This groundbreaking initiative is revolutionizing the lives of young Lagosians by equipping them with cutting-edge skills to thrive in an ever-evolving economy.
"But our work doesn't stop there. We believe in empowering our youth to become active contributors to Lagos State's socio-economic development. And so, we have designed LAG-UP to address the pressing needs of our youth population through a holistic approach that includes Inclusivity, Sustainability, and Innovation."
He, therefore, urged Nigerian youths to work and collaborate with the government to create opportunities to achieve the mission.
"In Lagos State, we are committed to creating an enabling environment for our youth to thrive which is my the administration has the THEMES + ++ as our agenda... social inclusion, gender equality and the youth.
"But we cannot do it alone. We need the support of partners like the Youth Advisory Council (YAC) of the Netherlands Consulate in Lagos and the European Union Youth Sounding Board in Nigeria (EU YSB), who share our vision and our commitment to empowering young people.
In her remarks, Summayya Ajani, the vice-chairperson of the EU-YSB in Nigeria, urged the government to involve the youths in major decision making.
Highlighting the uniqueness of the youths' perspective, she said, "The youths bring a unique perspective to the table. If you are planning anything to give back to the youth, the youth perspective is very important.
"In addition to all the skills of Nigerian youths, the most important thing is to have the youth perspective, which brings a lot of insights and contexts to whatever you have planned because you cannot do things for the youths without the youths."
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She, therefore, urged youths to be involved in the different sectors of government in order to achive favourable governement policies.
Some of the highlights of the dialogue were presentation of awards to some young persons and a panel session with young entrepreneurs from different sectors, including Damilola Balogun -Youth Sustainable Development Network (YSDN); Temitayo Ajakore - M & E Advisor, GIZ/Digital Transformation Center; Lucy Aniagolu - Agrodemy Technologies; Jonathan Abakpa - Advocacy & Youth Program Officer, Plan International Nigeria; Eyitayo Ogunmola - Tech Entrepreneur, Founder & CEO Utiva; and Olufunmilayo Ajala - Healthcare Lead, Youth Advisory Committee.
Young Nigerians recognized and given awards for their contribution to youth development include Jacob Oluwayanmife-Coconoto, who emerged as a winner in the agriculture category. Natasha Ibori-Uwana won the energy category, Dozie Igwello-Quadloop won the circular economy, Aisha Tofa-Startup Kano won for digital transformation, Ifeoluwa Adewumi-Hillspring diagnostics won for healthcare, and Yemi Adetiba-Orija-Headfort foundation for justice won for human rights and peace.
