By Nkechi Eze
The Honourable Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, has urged Nigerian youth to harness the transformative power of skill acquisition as a vital tool for national development and personal empowerment.
The Minister made the call in a keynote message delivered on her behalf by her Special Assistant (Technical), Princess Jummai Idonije, at the opening ceremony of the 2025 United Nations World Youth Skills Day, held at the Department of Mass Education, Karu Site, Abuja.
The event brought together hundreds of young people, educators, and development partners in a vibrant display of innovation, creativity, and future-focused capacity building.
“This year’s celebration is both timely and urgent,” the Minister declared. “With over 151 million young persons under the age of 35, nearly 70% of our population , Nigeria holds immense potential. But this potential must be harnessed with the right education, values, and skillsets to truly drive national development.”
She stressed that skill development should not be treated as a fallback option but as a bold and visionary step into the future. “Skills acquisition is not a backup plan,” she noted. “It is a bold, visionary step forward.”
Reaffirming the centrality of education in youth empowerment, Sulaiman-Ibrahim emphasized literacy, numeracy, digital fluency, and civic awareness as foundational pillars. She highlighted the Ministry’s ongoing commitment under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to champion gender-responsive programmes that promote youth entrepreneurship in sectors such as tailoring, clean energy, agro-processing, information technology, and business management.
The Minister also encouraged Nigerian youth to recognize and maximize the digital tools already available to them. “With the right mindset, you don’t need capital to start; you need vision,” she stated, urging them to leverage mobile phones and other devices for digital enterprise and learning.
Agriculture also featured prominently in her address as she called on the youth to explore innovation-driven practices like urban gardening, food processing, and climate-smart farming to address pressing food security and environmental issues.
Calling for stronger inter-agency collaboration, the Minister proposed enhanced partnerships between the Federal Capital Territory Mandate Secretary for Women Affairs, the Maryam Babangida National Centre for Women Development (MBNCWD), and other stakeholders to expand access to mentorship, empowerment pathways, and startup support across the FCT and beyond.
Referencing a recent regional survey that ranked Nigerian youth highest in creativity, resilience, and entrepreneurship across ten African nations, Sulaiman-Ibrahim described the findings as “both an affirmation and a call to action.”
She encouraged young Nigerians to remain focused and productive during the current academic break. “This long break is not for idleness. It is a chance to sharpen your skills, define your future, and build something meaningful.”
“As we mark the 2025 World Youth Skills Day, let it ignite in us a renewed commitment to equip, mentor, and uplift our youth,” she concluded. “Let us build a future where every young Nigerian is empowered to shine.”
The celebration kicked off a week-long series of skill-building workshops, exhibitions, and mentoring sessions aimed at repositioning Nigerian youth as agents of innovation and enterprise.
