The National Youth Wing of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has reaffirmed its commitment to expanding opportunities for young Nigerians to participate, lead, innovate and contribute to national development, its leader, Dr Dayo Israel said yesterday.
Israel, made the pledge in a message marking International Youth Day 2026, observed globally under the theme: ‘Different Contexts, Common Aspirations.’
He described young people as indispensable partners in shaping Nigeria’s present, not merely its future.
Israel said the youth wing’s responsibility was to create the platforms through which their ideas could translate into impact.
‘Young people are not merely the leaders of tomorrow; they are partners in shaping the Nigeria of today,’ Israel said.
‘Our responsibility is to create the opportunities, platforms and pathways through which their ideas can become impact.’
According to figures the youth attributed to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), 2,836,995 Nigerians aged 18 to 34 – 68.83 percent of completed registrations – had finished online and physical registration in the Commission’s Phase II, Week 15 update of the 2026 Continuous Voter Registration exercise as of April 28.
The youth said engagement must extend beyond commemorative gestures into sustainable platforms for policy engagement, skills acquisition and civic participation. It cited a range of ongoing initiatives under Israel’s leadership, including the Renewed Hope Conversations, among them a Campus Policy Dialogue held at the University of Abuja; the Mustapha Abdullahi Energy Leadership Fellowship (MAELF), run with the Dam Foundation; the SWIP App, a community engagement platform; and the Zacch Adedeji Taxation and Fiscal Policy Fellowship.
Israel is also convener of the Mummy’s Men Movement, described as an independent initiative promoting responsible fatherhood and positive masculinity.
‘The future of Nigeria cannot be built for young people without young people,’ Israel said. ‘We must move from speaking about youth to building with youth; from preparing young people for leadership to creating spaces where they can exercise leadership today.’
The youth called on governments, institutions, political parties, the private sector and civil society to create more pathways for youth participation and leadership, urging young Nigerians to take ownership of their voices and communities.