The House said the quality of Nigeria’s democracy would depend largely on the choices and civic engagement of the young people.
The House of Representatives has urged Nigerian youth to play a leading role in shaping the country’s democratic future by participating actively in the 2027 general elections.
It said the decisions of the youth and level of civic engagement will significantly influence the credibility of the electoral process.
The House made the appeal on Thursday during the Youth Town Hall, one of the major events of the 2026 National Assembly Open Week at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja.
The Majority Leader, Julius Ihonvbere, who represented Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, said the 10th House had made youth inclusion a priority through legislation and policy reforms aimed at expanding opportunities for young Nigerians.
Mr Ihonvbere said the Youth Town Hall had become more than an annual dialogue, noting that recommendations from previous editions had informed constitutional amendment proposals and other national policies.
“Many of the ideas now reflected in the ongoing constitutional amendment proposals and other national policies were shaped by contributions made during previous editions of this Town Hall. Your voices have influenced outcomes, and that is precisely why this platform remains relevant,” he said.
He highlighted several youth-related legislative initiatives, including the National Youth Service Corps Reform Bill, the proposed Nigerian Youth Welfare Scheme Fund Bill sponsored by Mr Tajudeen, and a constitutional amendment bill seeking to lower the minimum age for governorship candidates from 35 to 30 years.
Mr Ihonvbere also cited reforms in education financing, taxation, electricity, cybersecurity and the digital economy, describing them as measures designed to boost innovation, job creation and entrepreneurship.
With preparations for the 2027 elections already gathering pace, he said young Nigerians, as the country’s largest voting population, would play a decisive role in determining the future of its democracy.
“The quality of our elections and the future of our democracy will, to a large extent, be determined by the choices, conduct and active involvement of young Nigerians,” he said.
Mr Ihonvbere added that the House remained committed to making young people active participants in governance through legislation promoting education, digital literacy, entrepreneurship, innovation and employment.
In his goodwill message, the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, commended the National Assembly for institutionalising the Youth Town Hall, describing it as an important platform for dialogue between lawmakers and young Nigerians.
He said previous administrations had created a gap between youth and public institutions but noted that the current government was working to strengthen engagement and inclusive governance.
“It is very important that young Nigerians are given the space to speak, ask questions, share ideas and take part in decisions that affect their future,” the minister said.
Mr Olawande said the Ministry of Youth Development had introduced platforms to facilitate direct interaction with young citizens while implementing programmes on entrepreneurship, digital skills, vocational training and access to affordable financing.
According to him, initiatives such as the Nigerian Youth Academy, digital skills programmes, youth enterprise support schemes and the proposed Youth Green Fund are intended to prepare young Nigerians for opportunities in the digital and green economies.
Also speaking, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure, Khalil Halilu, urged young Nigerians to embrace innovation, technology and artificial intelligence as drivers of economic growth.
He said countries would increasingly be defined by their capacity for innovation rather than natural resources, adding that NASENI’s Innovate Nigeria programme offers grants of up to ₦250 million to support innovators, inventors and technology-based enterprises.
Mr Halilu encouraged youth to continue developing skills and innovative solutions capable of addressing Nigeria’s development challenges.
