In a bid to promote inclusivity and empower young people, stakeholders have committed to scaling youth-led initiatives across Nigeria.
This commitment was made during the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) event themed Amplifying Inclusive Innovation: Youth-Led Solutions for Gender Equality, Disability Inclusion, and Reproductive Health Access, held in Abuja.
Co-hosted by the Australian High Commission, the event recognized the critical role young people play in driving positive change and pledged support for youth-led initiatives that promote inclusivity.
The United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Mohamed M. Fall, emphasized the need to celebrate the leadership and creativity of young people, especially in advancing gender equality, disability inclusion, and access to sexual and reproductive health. He expressed gratitude to the Australian High Commission, stating, “This is more than a partnership, it’s a shared commitment to justice, dignity, and progress for all.”
Fall highlighted that no society can claim to be just if half its population is held back, if persons with disabilities are excluded, or if young people cannot make informed decisions about their bodies and futures.
“Nigeria’s youth make up over 70 percent of the population. Their innovation, energy, and activism are not optional extras; they are essential drivers of the change we need. Young people are not only the future; they are the now. And they are offering bold, practical solutions,” he said.
He noted that the UN is proud to support these efforts. Through agencies like UNFPA, they champion access to reproductive health services, push for inclusive policies, and back youth-led innovations that break down barriers, especially for girls and persons with disabilities. Quoting the United Nations Secretary-General, Fall reminded the audience, “We must shift power to those who have too long been excluded—including young people, women, and persons with disabilities. That is what ‘leaving no one behind’ truly means.”
He urged all stakeholders to listen closely to young people shaping the Nigeria of tomorrow, whose ideas carry the promise of a fairer world.
“Let us support them with action, investment, and unwavering belief,” he concluded.
In his welcome remarks, the Officer-in-Charge and Deputy Representative of UNFPA Nigeria, Koessan Kuawu, stated that Nigerian youths, with 60 percent of the population under 25 years and a median age of 18, represent Africa’s largest youth population. He described them not just as the future but the vibrant present of the nation.
“Young Nigerians are undoubtedly our most precious resource where strategic investments in education, health, security, and holistic development can unlock unprecedented demographic dividends,” Kuawu said.
He stressed that adolescents and young people are at the core of the UNFPA mandate, which is boldly embodied in three transformative results: ending preventable maternal deaths, ending the unmet need for family planning, and ending gender-based violence and harmful practices such as female genital mutilation and child, early, and forced marriage.
Kuawu affirmed that UNFPA’s approach is unapologetically based on human rights principles, with a firm commitment to “leaving no one behind.”
This, he said, makes the event so crucial in amplifying youth-led solutions for gender equality, disability inclusion, and reproductive health access.
He commended the Australian High Commission for partnering with UNFPA to promote awareness on the urgent need for inclusion through the diverse voices of Nigerian youths.
“Today we create space for young innovators, particularly those with disabilities, to showcase transformative solutions addressing critical barriers to fulfilling their potential. Through this collaboration between youth leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders, we demonstrate our commitment to scaling inclusive practices across Nigeria,” Kuawu said.
Among those in attendance were the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria, heads of United Nations agencies, the Australian High Commissioner to Nigeria represented by the Deputy High Commissioner, members of the diplomatic corps, representatives of government ministries and parastatals, CSOs, NGOs, youth, and youth advocates.
