By Esther Olaoluwa |
The Federal Government and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) have called for greater investment in Nigeria’s young population, stressing that sustained action in education, healthcare, skills development, employment and youth participation is critical to unlocking the country’s demographic dividend.
The call was made at the 2026 World Population Day commemoration held at the NAF Conference Centre, Jahi, Abuja, under the theme, “Realizing the Hopes and Aspirations of Young People — Today and for the Future.”
Federal Government, UNFPA Advocate Sustained Investment in Youth
Speaking on behalf of the Executive Director of UNFPA, Ms. Diene Keita, the UNFPA Resident Representative in Nigeria, Ms. Muriel Mafico, described Nigeria’s youthful population as one of the country’s greatest development assets.
She noted that young people between the ages of 10 and 24 account for 31.7 per cent of Nigeria’s population, adding that unlocking the country’s demographic dividend requires sustained investments in education, healthcare, skills acquisition, decent employment and meaningful youth participation in governance and national development.
According to Mafico, Nigeria is experiencing a unique demographic transition, with a rapidly growing youthful population alongside an increasing population of older persons, making long-term planning and responsive public policies increasingly important.
She said findings from UNFPA’s Demographic Futures Survey revealed that although many young Nigerians still aspire to marry and raise families, worsening economic conditions, unemployment, insecurity, housing shortages and the rising cost of living are making those aspirations increasingly difficult to achieve.
“What young people are telling us is clear: they need security, opportunity and the freedom to make genuine choices about their lives,” she said.
Mafico cautioned against policies that pressure citizens into making particular family choices, stressing that governments should instead protect the rights of individuals to decide freely whether, when and with whom to form families without coercion, discrimination or violence.
She reaffirmed UNFPA’s commitment to working with the Federal Government, the National Population Commission (NPC) and other development partners to strengthen institutions and expand opportunities that enable every young Nigerian to realise his or her full potential.
NPC Says Youthful Population Requires Deliberate Investment
In his welcome address, the Chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC) said World Population Day provides Nigeria with an opportunity to reflect on the demographic realities shaping the country’s future.
He noted that Nigeria’s population now exceeds 238 million, making it Africa’s most populous nation and the sixth most populous country in the world.
According to him, nearly 70 per cent of Nigerians are below the age of 30, representing a significant reservoir of innovation, entrepreneurship, productivity and economic transformation.
The NPC Chairman, however, warned that a youthful population does not automatically translate into a demographic dividend.
He said deliberate investments in education, healthcare, sexual and reproductive health services, entrepreneurship, digital inclusion, climate resilience and youth participation are necessary to transform Nigeria’s growing youth population into a healthy, skilled and productive workforce.
He cautioned that failure to adequately invest in young people could worsen unemployment, insecurity and social instability, while sustained investments would strengthen the country’s long-term economic and social development.
The Chairman also highlighted persistent challenges affecting young Nigerians, including unemployment, underemployment, inequality, limited access to healthcare, gender-based violence and inadequate economic opportunities.
Citing findings from the 2024 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey, he said adolescent birth rates remain high, contraceptive use among young women is low, while many sexually active adolescents continue to have unmet family planning needs.
He urged governments, development partners, civil society organisations, the private sector, academia and the media to move beyond dialogue by placing young people at the centre of national development planning and actively involving them in decisions that directly affect their future.
United Nations Highlights Challenges Facing Young Nigerians
Delivering the message of the United Nations Secretary-General, conveyed by the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr. Mohamed Malick Fall, the global body described Nigeria’s young people as the nation’s greatest resource and one of its strongest hopes for sustainable development.
The Secretary-General noted that about 73 million Nigerians, representing approximately 31.8 per cent of the population, are between the ages of 10 and 24, possessing the creativity, innovation and leadership needed to address today’s development challenges.
He, however, observed that insecurity, inequality, climate change, technological disruption and economic uncertainty continue to limit opportunities available to many young people.
According to the United Nations, one in every three Nigerian women aged between 20 and 24 was married before the age of 18, while adolescent birth rates remain significantly higher among girls with little or no education than among those who completed higher education.
He said these disparities are driven by inequality rather than inevitability, stressing that investments in education, healthcare, family planning, employment and youth participation remain essential for sustainable national development.
The Secretary-General also acknowledged the resilience and leadership demonstrated by Nigerian youths across different sectors and urged governments to expand access to quality education, healthcare and decent employment while ensuring young people participate meaningfully in decisions that shape their future.
Stakeholders Reaffirm Commitment to Youth Development
The event attracted senior government officials, members of the National Assembly, representatives of federal ministries, development partners, civil society organisations, youth groups, academics, traditional and religious leaders, members of the diplomatic community and media practitioners.
Participants reaffirmed their commitment to advancing policies and investments that will enable young Nigerians to realise their aspirations and contribute meaningfully to national development.
The 2026 World Population Day commemoration concluded with a renewed consensus that Nigeria’s demographic future will depend not on the size of its youthful population alone, but on the quality of investments made today to equip young people with the education, healthcare, skills and opportunities needed to drive sustainable development.
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