UPDATED: Babangida Emerges National Youth Council President

…Vows To Unify, Empower Nigerian Youths

Comr. Babangida Onimisi Isa has emerged as the National President of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) at the 2025 Congress held on Thursday at the National Centre for Women Development in Abuja.

After a keenly contested process, Isa emerged as the winner, garnering the majority of votes from 497 accredited delegates from the 36 state chapters and the Federal Capital Territory and 104 voluntary youth organisations.

The newly elected president pledged to reposition the NYCN, stating, “This decision is not driven by personal ambition but by an enduring passion to serve and to advance the noble cause of youth development in our dear nation.”

The new leadership’s objective is defined by a central mission to “unify, empower, and elevate Nigerian youths by fostering inclusive leadership, skill development, civic responsibility, and sustainable opportunities across all regions, ensuring every young person has a voice and a stake in nation-building.”

Comrade Isa has a background in student unionism, having served as the National President of the National Association of Ebira Students (NAES). His experience extends into government, where he served as the Senior Special Assistant on Youth and Students Affairs to the former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, from 2020 to 2024, and is currently the Senior Special Assistant on Community Engagement to the current Governor of Kogi State, Usman Ododo.

The president-elect’s mandate is anchored on an 8-point agenda covering critical sectors of youth engagement.

“It is a blueprint for youth inclusion, empowerment, and national development, designed to reposition the NYCN as a leading force for youth advancement and unity across Nigeria,” Comr. Isa stated.

Key initiatives include youth inclusiveness in governance through collaboration with agencies and development partners to ensure youth participation in policy formulation. Others are human capital development and empowerment programmes, the construction of an ultra-modern Nigerian youth house, promoting youth in agriculture, sports development, youth talent, entertainment and the creative industry.

“I pledge to offer dedication, integrity, experience, and a genuine love for the youths of Nigeria,” the new president stated in his manifesto.