A pan-Yoruba organisation in Southwest Nigeria the Oodua Youth Coalition (OYC) has declared its full support for the Minister of Youth Development Hon. Ayodele Olawande urging the Federal Government to sustain policies and programmes aimed at improving the welfare and economic prospects of Nigerian youths.
The group said initiatives introduced under Hon. Olawande including the National Youth Confab 2026 reforms in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) YouthCred and the Youth Information Centre have been important steps towards expanding youth participation and access to opportunities in the country.
In a statement on Sunday jointly signed by its National Vice President (Administration) Olatunji Adejuwon and General Secretary Abolaji Olaoye the group said Nigeria’s development depended largely on how effectively it empowered and integrated its young population into national decision-making.
It stressed that the success of these initiatives would depend on effective implementation accountability and the ability to translate policy announcements into measurable improvements in the lives of young Nigerians.
The group described the National Youth Confab 2026 as an important platform for young people to articulate their concerns contribute to national conversations and influence policies affecting their future.
It urged the Ministry of Youth Development to ensure the conference recommendations were translated into practical policies and programmes warning that the exercise would have limited impact if its outcomes were not implemented.
The group also commended Hon. Olawande’s efforts to improve the welfare of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members particularly changes to their allowances describing improved conditions of service as important recognition of their contributions to national development
It said corps members serving in education healthcare public administration and other critical sectors deserved better welfare improved safety and opportunities for professional development.
The coalition also called for further reforms to strengthen the transition of corps members into employment and entrepreneurship after their mandatory national service.
On YouthCred and the Youth Information Centre the organisation said the initiatives could improve access to empowerment programmes government opportunities and relevant information.
It urged the ministry to prioritise public awareness transparency and accessibility to ensure that young people particularly those in rural communities and underserved areas were not excluded from the programmes.
Speaking on the coalition’s endorsement Adejuwon said youth development required sustained leadership institutional commitment and collaboration among stakeholders.
‘We believe that the future of Nigeria depends significantly on how well we prepare empower and include our young people. Our position is that youth development must be sustained strengthened and measured by results.
‘Where initiatives are creating platforms for engagement and expanding access to opportunities the priority should be to improve them widen their reach and ensure that more young Nigerians benefit’ he said.
Adejuwon added that the coalition’s support for Olawande was based on its belief that policies that improve youth participation and welfare deserved sustained institutional backing.
He also called on the private sector international development partners investors and multilateral institutions to increase investment in vocational education digital innovation entrepreneurship access to finance leadership development and job creation.
He urged youth organisations across the country to engage constructively with government institutions monitor policy implementation and contribute ideas to address challenges confronting young Nigerians.
Adejuwon maintained that youth development should be treated as a long-term national investment rather than a temporary government policy stressing that continuity must be accompanied by accountability and demonstrable results.
He said leadership effectiveness should be judged not merely by policy announcements but by the capacity to build sustainable institutions expand opportunities and deliver lasting benefits.
He therefore reiterated the group’s support for Hon. Olawande’s youth development agenda calling for stronger collaboration among government institutions and other stakeholders to address unemployment limited access to opportunities and other challenges confronting the country’s young population