Honourable Minister Olawanle

Nigeria’s youth advocacy network, Nigerian Youth Decide (NYD), has stepped up efforts to deepen engagement with the Federal Government, paying a courtesy visit to the Honourable Minister of Youth, Sports and Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, in Abuja on Thursday.

Cmrd PAUL

Ambassador Uchechuku Ekpere Paul, representing NYD, outlined the organisation’s vision and achievements, including the Boy Child Foundation project, which addresses gaps in male-child development often neglected in social policy. He pressed for ministerial support ahead of the National Youth Conference and Training Summit scheduled for December.

Founded as a non-partisan platform for young Nigerians, NYD has built a reputation for promoting youth inclusiveness in governance and national dialogue. Its campaigns have brought attention to education, participation and grassroots mobilisation, cementing its place as one of the country’s most persistent youth-led movements.

The delegation was joined by the Diamond Youth Transformation Initiative (DYTI), a civil society organisation working to empower disadvantaged youth through education, skills acquisition and leadership training. DYTI often partners with advocacy groups such as NYD to amplify grassroots impact and widen institutional reach.

Hon Olawande, a former activist appointed minister in 2023, welcomed the visit, praising the consistency of NYD’s work. He recalled attending one of the group’s early events in Enugu in 2016 and noted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had reviewed NYD’s profile and “expressed satisfaction with the work being done”. The minister encouraged NYD and DYTI to write formally to the Ministry to enable integration into federal youth programmes.

Mentoring Cmdt Alistair

Commenting on the engagement, TECD FOUNDATION, President and Chairman Ambassador Alistair, a long-time mentor to NYD, in shaping the movement’s strategy and resilience, congratulated the Honourable Minister for always willing to meet and listened the teeming youths. He has attended several of its NYD events and guided the establishment of the Boy Child Foundation, as well as been part of giving the organisation an enduring structure. Speaking further after the meeting, he said the partnership “offers a rare chance to turn advocacy into policy, and policy into real outcomes for young Nigerians”.

The Ministry of Youth, Sports and Development is tasked with implementing national youth policy, managing sports administration and spearheading initiatives for young people. Beyond training and employment schemes, it operates protective interventions such as the Emergency Response Room, which monitors cases of abuse and crimes against youth. During the visit, the delegation was introduced to the unit, reflecting what Mr Olawande described as government’s “dedication to protecting and empowering young people”.

For the Tinubu administration, youth inclusion is central to its economic and social reform agenda. Thursday’s meeting therefore signalled more than a courtesy call: it represented an alignment between government priorities and long-standing civil society initiatives, underpinned by mentorship and external support.