News Agency of Nigeria
Impact Hub encourages youths to use AI for empowerment
General News

Impact Hub encourages youths to use AI for empowerment

170 total views today

By Collins Yakubu-Hammer

A Network, Impact Hub Abuja has urged youths across the country to harness the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to unlock new opportunities and gain empowerment.

The Founder, Mr Olalekan Oshunkoya, who made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja, said that harnessing AI would enable them drive innovation and growth in various fields.

Impact Hub is a network focused on building entrepreneurial communities for impact at scale.

Oshunkoya said that the Impact Hub Abuja brought together about 35 diverse youth leaders, advocates, policymakers and many others to discuss the opportunity in AI at the 2025 World Youth Skills Day.

“Our goal was to bring the best of our youths to the table to share ideas, insights and collectively explore how we can increase our understanding of AI’s impact in young people’s future.

“Also, how to use policy entrepreneurship to accelerate the power of AI to reduce youth unemployment and foster innovation.

“We want to identify threats to be mitigated, opportunities to be harnessed and actions that public, private, and youth actors can collaboratively take to support young people to thrive in an AI-powered world.

“We are locally rooted and globally connected and thus committed to using the incredible power of entrepreneurship, leadership, technology and collaboration for social good and contribution for a better world.

“That is why via our roundtable, we explored and gathered policy actions and ideas on how youth empowerment can be accelerated through Al and digital skills,” he said.

According to him, the Hub will continue the inclusive conversation on the potential of Al to help accelerate youth opportunity and empowerment through enhancement of digital skills, creativity, entrepreneurship and employability.

Oshunkoya recalled that during the roundtable, topics discussed included ‘AI and our World Today’, ‘Al and the Youth Opportunity’ and ‘Unlocking the Potential of Al’ to benefit young people in areas like education, employment, innovation, and inclusion.

“All these were explored to empower the youths on the advantages of AI and for them to use it to better themselves and the country at large, hence the call for them to do that,” the founder said. (NAN)

Edited by Esenvosa Izah/Christiana Fadare

C-Circle foundation champions youth action against plastic pollution
Environment

C-Circle foundation champions youth action against plastic pollution

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By Akpan Glory

The C-Circle Foundation for Sustainable Health and Environment (C-Circle Foundation) has unveiled the 2025 edition of its National Schools Debate Project to raise youth awareness and action on plastic pollution in Nigeria.

The debate, themed “Ending Plastic Pollution,” was held in commemoration of World Environment Day and featured students from across Abuja, Imo, and Enugu states.

The Team Lead of the Foundation, Dr Chimere- May Ohajinwa, said in a statement on Sunday that the project aimed to harness youth potential through education, dialogue, and leadership to address the country’s environmental challenges.

She said the debate project, which has been running annually for five years, had reached over 500 students this year and was building momentum as a national movement for climate and public health action.

“Nigeria produces more than 2.5 million tonnes of plastic waste annually but recycles less than 30 per cent with the remainder contributing to air and water pollution, soil degradation, flooding, and climate change”.

According to her, grassroots education and civic engagement are critical to reversing this trend.

She explained that the 2025 edition featured thought-provoking topics.

“The 1st round of debate was on “Recycling single-use plastics is better than banning them” and on the 2nd round, the topic was “Is waste management the responsibility of the government or the citizen?”

In Abuja, the debate was held on June 4, with support from the Rotary Club of Abuja (The Grandfathers Club) and the Rotary Club of Abuja, Wuse II, GenU by UNICEF and others.

Sixteen secondary schools participated, where His Excellency International School, Bwari, emerged winner.

School for the Gifted, Gwagwalada came second, followed by Funtaj International School and Government Secondary School, Kubwa in third and fourth place, respectively.

In Imo, the debate held on June 26 with support from Rotary Club of Owerri Uptown, Rotary Club of Owerri, and Rotary Club of Owerri Cosmopolitan and others.

Great Insights High School, Owerri emerged winner, with Owerri Girls Secondary School, Urban Development Secondary School, and Imo Girls Secondary School also participating.

In Enugu, the event was held on June 27, supported by the Rotary Club of Trans-Ekulu and others

Trans-Ekulu Girls Secondary School won the competition, while Solid Base Private School, also in Trans-Ekulu, placed second.

“The debate is not just about public speaking. It is about developing critical thinking, leadership, and environmental consciousness,” Ohajinwa said.

She added that over 34 schools had been engaged so far, and plans are underway to scale up the initiative to reach 10,000 students across 15 states in 2026.

She called on development partners, the private sector, government agencies, and philanthropic foundations to support the initiative to expand its reach and deepen its impact.

She noted that the 2025 edition would not have been possible without the support of Rotary Clubs across Nigeria, Ianwilson Services Ltd, DNL Infrastructure Ltd, C-Circle Research, Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), as well as family and friends of the foundation.

According to her, the goal of the foundation is to build a national network of youth environmental ambassadors, ready to lead conversations and action on sustainability.

She said the National Schools Debate Project presents a unique platform at the intersection of education, public health, and environmental change.

“The youth are ready. The structure is in place. What we need now is investment and collaboration,” she added. (NAN)

Edited by Tosin Kolade

Youth Voice Survey 2025 ‘ll help bridge gap in governance- Group
General News

Youth Voice Survey 2025 ‘ll help bridge gap in governance- Group

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By Collins Yakubu-Hammer

The Citizen Commons International, a youth advocacy group, says Nigerian Youth Voice Survey 2025 seeks to shape the future of the country and bridge the gap in governance.

Mr Olalekan Oshunkoya, the Executive Director of the group disclosed this at a media briefing in Abuja on Friday.

Oshunkoya also said that the survey was a special effort dedicated to capturing the experiences, opinions, ideas, and thoughts of young Nigerians.

“It is an intentional effort to ensure that young people across Nigeria are mobilised and supported to share their thoughts, ideas and opinion on the future of Nigeria.

“The survey is an extension of our youth conversation for the ‘New Nigeria’, designed to engage Nigerian youths, create awareness, and highlight policy issues of importance from communities to campuses.

“The key objective of the survey is to consult young Nigerians and gather their ideas and thoughts on the ‘New Nigeria’ and their future in it.

“It is to also help identify key issues of importance of young Nigerians that the leaders should focus on,” he said .

The executive director said that the group was seeking ways to deepen the nation’s democracy, expand political participation, inclusion, and active citizenship among the people so as bridge the gap between the government and the governed.

He further explained that the survey was part of the commitment and extended engagement to create evidence-based policy, by providing policy makers and leaders with the tools required to make more informed decisions.

According to him, the data generated by the survey will be used to engage leaders at local, national and state levels to see what the youth desire and what priorities are important to them as well as the pains and challenges.

“We are targeting 25,000 responses across geo-political zones, and we will be reaching out to youths where they are.

“Our mobilisation efforts will reach out to young people from campuses to communities, villages and cities and ensure that it represents the participation of the Nigerian youth population.

“The future of Nigeria is in the hands of young people and we must be intentional about the policy, politics as well as principles, and practices that shape our national development and government priorities.

“The survey will offer a new way to amplify our voice and share with our peers what we think our leaders should be doing to birth the New Nigeria we desire and our role in it,” he said.

Oshunkoya noted that Nigerian youths were majorly facing challenges of mass unemployment and limited economic

opportunities.

He added that the survey is about young Nigerians taking charge of their future by informing their leaders of their own priorities.

“Just last week, we celebrated the 26th anniversary of our current democratic dispensation; a great

opportunity to reflect on our collective responsibility as Nigerians.

“Nigeria today is far from the dreams of our founding fathers, and we must all contribute to the effort to refresh and redirect the fortunes of this country toward a more inclusive sociopolitical aspirations of our founding fathers.

“We must build a Nigeria that works for the many and not the few,” he stressed. (NAN)

Edited by Deborah Coker

ECOWAS Court pledges to deepen academic, youth engagement
Foreign

ECOWAS Court pledges to deepen academic, youth engagement

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By Mark Longyen

The ECOWAS Court has pledged to deepen its engagement with the subregion’s youths and academic institutions to ensure a robust legal culture of justice, human rights and rule of law.

The President of the Court, Justice Ricardo Gonçalves, said this at the end of the maiden edition of the Moot Court competition of the Community Court on Saturday in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event, which began on Wednesday, had as its theme: “Promoting Regional Integration and Human Rights through Judicial Processes in West Africa.”

The competition brought together West African law students to simulate proceedings before the court, offering them first hand exposure to an international tribunal’s working and the opportunity to refine their advocacy skills.

Gonçalves said that the community court had resolved to make the competition an annual flagship programme.

He also said that future editions of the competition would be expanded to include universities from all ECOWAS member states to truly reflect the bloc’s diversity and unity.

The court’s president explained that through such engagement, the court would demystify its work and plant the seeds of a robust regional legal culture that values justice, human rights, cooperation and rule of law.

“This event has made one thing abundantly clear; that the time has come for the ECOWAS Court of Justice to deepen its engagement with academic institutions and the youth of our region.

“In light of the overwhelming success of this pilot edition, I am pleased to announce that the court has resolved to make the Moot Court Competition an annual flagship programme.

“Future editions will expand to include universities across all ECOWAS Member States, truly reflecting the diversity and unity of our region,” he said.

Earlier in a vote of thanks, the court’s Vice President, Justice Sengu Koroma, said the event aimed to create a platform for legal education, engagement and excellence among the region’s future legal minds.

He also said that mooting was a portal through which students could fully immerse themselves in the environment of ethical considerations and protocols of a real courtroom.

Koroma lauded the participating universities and their students, adding that their intellect, composure, and advocacy made the institutions proud and gave the court great hope in the future of regional justice.

“Today, as we conclude the finals of this historic competition, we do so with immense pride and gratitude, having witnessed the vision come to life in a truly remarkable fashion.

“To the students—you are the stars of this event.

” Your hard work, enthusiastic participation, dedication and legal acumen have made this moot competition a success.

“We wish each of you success in your future endeavours and hope that this competition has fostered not only legal proficiency but also a lifelong commitment to justice,” he added.

NAN reports that the highpoint of the event was the announcement of the winners of the competition and award of certificates for various categories to them.

Two Nigerian universities, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria and University of Jos, won the overall best prize and runner up prize, taking home N5 million and N3 million respectively.

Two of the students, Nicholas Ochojila and Diretkinan Dashi, both from the University of Jos, expressed their gratitude to the ECOWAS Court for the opportunity to participate in the competition.

They said that the event was a good outing for the university, which came second, narrowly losing to ABU by one point, and producing the overall best oralist award winner through Ochojila. (NAN)

Edited by Mufutau Ojo

UNIABUJA to offer youth development postgraduate degrees- VC
General News

UNIABUJA to offer youth development postgraduate degrees- VC

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By Akpan Glory

The Acting Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja, Prof. Patricia Lar, has pledged the university’s readiness to commence Postgraduate Diploma (PGD), Masters, and Doctoral programmes in Youth Development Work.

Lar made this commitment during a high-level courtesy and advocacy visit by a delegation of the Federal Ministry of Youth Development (FMYD) and the Nigeria Youth Workers’ Association (NYWA) to the university on Wednesday.

She said this feat positions the institution as a pioneer in this vital sector.

The vice-chancellor reaffirmed the university’s commitment to hosting a national stakeholders’ workshop as a springboard for formalising Youth Work education in Nigeria.

Speaking for the advocacy team, Despan Kwardem, Director of Education and Training at the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, praised the Minister’s approval of both the proposed workshop and the wider push to professionalise youth development work in Nigeria.

He stated that this decisive action aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which emphasises strengthening governance, enhancing transparency, and improving service delivery to Nigerian youth.

In his remarks, the President of the Nigeria Youth Workers’ Association (NYWA), Ben Duntoye, described the milestone as a transformative step towards equipping Youth Workers with globally relevant competencies and academic recognition.

He noted that it reinforces the nation’s commitment to inclusive development and sustainable youth empowerment.

“Driven by the need to build the capacity of Youth Workers, an agenda championed by the Commonwealth Youth Programme (CYP), the programme aims to standardise and enhance the quality of Youth Work practice in Nigeria”.

Duntoye further expressed special appreciation to Prof. Theresa Abok-Akpan, Director of the Centre for Gender Security Studies and Youth Advancement, whose invaluable support contributed to the success of the visit.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Nigeria Youth Workers’ Association (NYWA) is the coordinating body for youth development practioners and professionals in Nigeria established in 2019.

It aims to improve the status and standard of youth work by connecting, strengthening networks, and advocating for the professionalisation of youth work ultimately advancing the live of young people to achieve their set goals. (NAN)

Edited by Tosin Kolade

Group urges FG to appoint Minister of state for youth
General News

Group urges FG to appoint Minister of state for youth

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By Olasunkanmi Onifade

The Concerned Northern Youth Stakeholders have appealed to the Federal Government to appoint a Minister of State for Youth Development from Northern Nigeria.

This was disclosed in a statement signed by the group’s Coordinator, Usman Doshiro, in Abuja.

He stated that such an appointment would facilitate the seamless execution of policies targeted at youth across all geopolitical zones, thereby fulfilling the administration’s promises ahead of 2027.

“Nigeria’s youth are diverse, and ensuring equitable leadership across regions will foster national unity and inclusiveness in youth policies.

“Given the enormous responsibility of the Ministry, appointing a Minister of State from the North will complement the efforts of Hon. Olawande and help in reaching more youth, especially in rural areas,” Doshiro said.

He further stated that the youth constituency remains the strongest pillar of support, adding that the appointment would inspire and mobilise young Nigerians towards national development, unity, and progress.

Doshiro reiterated the President’s commitment to youth empowerment and national transformation, stating that young people eagerly anticipate this strategic decision.

This, he added would reinforce the Renewed Hope Agenda and keep Nigeria’s youth actively engaged in nation-building.

“We are particularly grateful for the energetic and result-driven approach of the Minister of Youth Development, Mr Ayodele Olawande.

“Under his leadership, we have seen a renewed focus on youth inclusivity, skills development, entrepreneurship, and leadership opportunities.

“However, to further strengthen the Ministry of Youth Development and ensure greater regional balance, deeper grassroots engagement, and expanded impact, we humbly appeal for the appointment of a Minister of State for Youth Development from Northern Nigeria,” he said. (NAN)

Edited by Tosin Kolade

Expert calls for youth, women empowerment in agriculture
Agriculture

Expert calls for youth, women empowerment in agriculture

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By Naomi Sharang

The Chief Executive Officer of Shield Africa, Mrs Osenaga Orokpo, has emphasised the need for empowering youth and women to drive sustainable agricultural development in Nigeria and Africa.

Orokpo, speaking at the Shield Africa Summit 2024 in Abuja on Friday, noted that food insecurity and poverty have become major concerns on the continent.

She stressed that Africa must prioritise sustainable agriculture and food security, transforming fields and approaches to prioritise sustainable practices, empower youth and women, and unlock the true potential of African agriculture.

Orokpo envisioned a prosperous Africa where every young person had the tools to become an agri-preneur, transforming farmlands into sources of wealth and opportunity.

According to Orokpo, hunger affects over 250 million people in sub-Saharan Africa, with population growth threatening to outpace agricultural production.

She emphasised the need for more youth involvement in agriculture, citing the average age of farmers as over 60, while the median age of the population is just 18.

Orokpo called on stakeholders to join forces to shield Africa from hunger, poverty, and pain.

She announced that Shield Africa aimed to create 15,000 to 20,000 direct and indirect jobs for young individuals in 2025, contributing to youth employment and reducing poverty.

The Deputy Governor of Benue, Dr Sam Ode, represented by Director-General Benita Shuluwa, emphasised the potential for rural communities to drive economic transformation.

He highlighted Benue’s experiences in investing in rural infrastructure, which he said have boosted agriculture and uplifted communities.

Ode commended Shield Africa for providing agricultural support, empowering youth, and promoting gender inclusivity.(NAN)

Edited by Yinusa Ishola and Abiemwense Moru

Take active role in anti-corruption war– ICPC boss tasks women, youth
General News

Take active role in anti-corruption war– ICPC boss tasks women, youth

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The ICPC Chairman, Dr Musa Aliyu (SAN), has urged women and youths to take a more active role in the fight against corruption and other social vices in the county.

Aliyu made the call in his address of welcome at a one-day workshop for women and youths on corruption prevention at the Banquet Hall, State House, Abuja, on Thursday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the conference has as its theme: “Women and Youth Alliance Against Corruption”.

The ICPC boss said that women and the youth disproportionately experienced the effects of corruption in society, and urged them to rise to fight against it.

Aliyu stated that the conference was put together as a pivotal event dedicated to empowering two key groups, women and young people in the fight against corruption.

”Today’s workshop is not just an event; it is a crucial platform that aims to highlight the pivotal roles that women and the youth play in the fight against corruption.

”By uniting our voices and resources, we can amplify our impact and drive meaningful change in our communities.

”Engaging women and young people in this battle is essential, as they are often the first to feel the effects of corruption, yet they hold the keys to innovative solutions and transformative leadership,” he said.

Aliyu said further that the workshop stands as a pillar of public engagement, fully aligned with the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act of 2000, the National Anti-Corruption Strategy, and the ICPC Strategic Action Plan 2024-2028.

“ICPC is committed to leveraging technology for mobilisation, building inclusive coalitions, and empowering marginalised voices to foster a more just and equitable society.

”By engaging women and youth, our over-arching objective is for our anti-corruption efforts to become more diverse, inclusive, and sustainable.

”It is also to enhance credibility, increased public support, innovative solutions, long-term impact and, of course, a more just and equitable society for Nigerians,” he said.

In her address, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu,  wife of the President, said that when corruption thrives, the most vulnerable women, children, and marginalised communities bear the heaviest burden.

”It is for their sake, and the future of our beloved country, that we must remain resolute in our efforts to combat this scourge.

“As we gather today, let us reflect on the words of our elders: ‘It takes a village to raise a child;’ and in the same vein, it takes the collective will of the entire nation to defeat corruption.

“We cannot leave this battle to government agencies alone,” she said.

The President’s wife commended the ICPC and its leadership for their unwavering commitment to the cause of anti-corruption.

The conference brings together leaders, activists, policymakers, and community members to address the unique challenges women and youth face in combating corruption.

Through workshops, panel discussions, and networking sessions, the conference aims to equip participants with strategies against corruption.

It also aims to support networks to promote transparency, integrity, and accountability within their communities and institutions.(NAN (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Bayo Sekoni

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