By Ibukun Emiola

Nigerian youths have been advised to seize opportunities beyond their academic fields and channel their creativity toward nation-building.

The advice was given by Mr Oluwademilade Oluokun, the winner of the 2025 Policy Challenge Competition, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan on Monday.

Oluokun, alongside his teammate, Isaiah Elemubayo, both students of Adeleke University, Osun State, won the competition with a proposal on using technology to promote national unity.

He said their project explored how social media platforms, collaboration tools, and other digital innovations could be harnessed to strengthen cohesion among Nigerians.

“Young people should take advantage of opportunities that come their way.

“They should not limit themselves to their chosen fields alone but explore other avenues and achieve great things,” he said.

He noted that while the proposal earned them a N2million prize, the team was already researching to develop a mobile application that would put their ideas into practice.

“The challenge, organised by Future Pathways Development Initiatives, was to come up with a policy aimed at fostering national unity.

“Our project focused on using technology to achieve this because many people today are actively engaged on their phones and online platforms.

“We are determined to ensure the proposal does not remain only on paper but is fully actualised,” Oluokun said.

NAN reports that the 2025 Policy Challenge is themed: “Rethinking Governance for National Unity”.

The challenge brought together young innovators from across the country to design policy ideas that could promote peace and unity. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Moses Solanke