By Angela Atabo
Stakeholders have called for urgent and meaningful inclusion of young people in governance, peacebuilding and national development efforts.
They made this known at a conference organised by Building Blocks for Peace Foundation (BBFORPEACE) in partnership with Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) in Abuja.
The conference themed “Bridging Policy and Practice: Multi-Stakeholder Engagement in Youth Peace and Security Frameworks Implementation” focused on deliberate strategies for implementing the Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) agenda in Nigeria.
Executive Director of Building Blocks for Peace Foundation, Rafiu Lawal, said current socio-political and economic realities like insecurity, unemployment, shrinking civic spaces, have continued to place pressure on national unity and social cohesion.
He explained that the government took bold steps by adopting the National Action Plan on Youth, Peace and Security, a national roadmap for the engagement of young people in peace and security across the nation.
He described the National Action Plan on Youth, Peace and Security as a major opportunity for transforming the country’s peacebuilding architecture, stressing that effective implementation of the framework could significantly address the nation’s security challenges.
“I want to state clearly that the National Action Plan on Youth, Peace and Security, if effectively implemented, represents a game changer in our quest to find lasting solutions to the peace and security challenges confronting us as a nation.
“The essence of today’s meeting goes beyond merely raising awareness about the existence of the NAP. We are currently in the process of developing the second NAP, as the first one expired in 2024. That is why this meeting has been convened.
“Beyond awareness creation, this meeting is an opportunity for us to come together as people passionate about this country, passionate about peace, and passionate about full youth engagement, to identify our roles in the effective implementation of the NAP.”
Lawal said there was need for peacebuilding efforts to move beyond policy documents and become visible in communities, campuses, local governments and states.
He said the NAP was not just a document but a recognition that sustainable peace in Nigeria would not be achieved without the inclusion, participation, protection, and engagement of young people.
He said millions of young Nigerians remain willing and ready to contribute to peacebuilding and national stability, so they should not only be consulted occasionally, but systematically integrated into peacebuilding, development, conflict prevention, security decision-making, and national development processes.
The Executive Director said highlights of the conference was unveiling of the BBFORPEACE strategic plan aligning with the five pillars of youth peace and security around participation, protection, prevention, partnerships, disengagement and integration.
Dr Joseph Ochogwu, Director-General, Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), said the institute was proud to co-host the conference, noting that youth inclusion remained central to sustainable peace and national development.
Ochogwu, represented by a Director and Chief Research Fellow at the institute, Chukwuemeka Mbah, said the Youth, Peace and Security agenda was not merely a policy framework but a call to action.
“Young people are not simply beneficiaries of peace; they are leaders, innovators and change-makers whose voices must shape the future of our nation.”
The IPCR boss further stated that peace could only be achieved through collaboration among government institutions, civil society, development partners and youth-led organisations.
Also speaking, Dr Maryam Keshinro, Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to promoting youth inclusion in governance and decision-making processes.
Keshinro, represented by Chief Youth Development Officer, Vivian Iorzua, said the government recognised young people as critical actors in conflict prevention, peacebuilding and national development, adding that stronger partnerships would be needed to advance the Youth, Peace and Security agenda.
“Platforms such as this conference are essential for translating policy frameworks into actionable outcomes and building sustainable partnerships for impact,” he stated.
The Keynote Speaker and public affairs analyst, Jaye Gaskia, Chairman, Partnership Against Violent Extremism (PAVE), challenged stakeholders to rethink the implementation of youth-focused policies, insisting that young people should lead processes designed for them.
“If it is a youth peace and security framework, who should lead its implementation?” he asked.
Gaskia argued that youth participation should go beyond symbolic representation, adding that civic spaces for young people to engage in governance and policy conversations must be protected and expanded.
He also criticised the weakening of youth institutions and engagement platforms across the country, warning that shrinking civic spaces could undermine democratic participation and peacebuilding efforts.
“Peace is not merely the absence of conflict, it is the presence of justice, opportunity, fairness and hope,” he said.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Sadiya Hamza
