Nigeria, UN To Deepen Women, Youth Empowerment Partnership

Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening collaboration with the United Nations (UN) to accelerate the empowerment of women and youth across the country.

Vice President Kashim Shettima said the partnership will focus on key areas, including financial inclusion, skills development, job creation, and peace and security.

Shettima, who spoke on Thursday while receiving a delegation from the United Nations led by the Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs, Felipe Paullier, during a courtesy visit to the Presidential Villa in Abuja, said the administration of President Bola Tinubu recognises the critical role of young people as drivers of growth and transformation, noting that they must not be treated merely as a statistical population.

“The youths are the backbone of every society’s transformation, the government is committed to policies that will convert Nigeria’s growing youth population into a demographic advantage,” Shettima said.

He also reiterated the administration’s commitment to gender equality and youth-focused development, stressing the need for stronger institutional frameworks to advance empowerment initiatives in partnership with the UN and other stakeholders.

In his words, “The anticipated demographic bulge will be transformed into demographic dividends. On behalf of the President, I reaffirm this administration’s commitment to youth development. It is almost inevitable in any dispensation. The youths are the backbone of every society’s transformation.”

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, said Paullier described Nigeria as a vibrant nation with young people at the centre of its development potential.

“Nigeria is on the right path to development, and if relevant authorities continue to place Nigerian youths at the heart of critical decisions, development and innovation will be accelerated,” he said.

Pacullier stressed that sustainable youth development must be anchored on gender equality, as well as access to education and employment opportunities.