‘Energy without direction leads to frustration’ — Tinubu to Nigerian youths

President Bola Tinubu says his administration is committed to preparing young Nigerians with the skills and values needed to drive national development.

Speaking on Wednesday at the opening of a two-day Youth Leadership Conference in Abuja, Tinubu, represented by Ayodele Olawande, minister of youth development, said the initiative is aimed at shaping a new generation of leaders.

“This is a bold step towards shaping the leadership framework of the country, focusing on development strategy, inclusive ethics, and sustainable leadership,” he said.

“The future of Nigeria lies in the hands of its young people, who possess energy, creativity, and courage, as energy without direction and potential without preparation can lead to frustration, making the conference timely and critical.”

Tinubu said the government’s renewable agenda includes programmes such as the Nigerian Youth Academy, which targets 7 million young people with digital and professional skills, and the 3 million technical talent programme that covers artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and software engineering.

“The administration aims to achieve 70 percent national digital literacy by 2027, to ensure effective youth participation in the global digital economy,” he said.

The president also highlighted other schemes, including the student loan initiative, youth agricultural programme for over 100,000 young entrepreneurs, and a 1 million youth entrepreneurship growth scheme in partnership with FDB.

“The administration believes in a Nigeria where every young person has the opportunity to lead and contribute to national development,” he said.

Tajudeen Abbas, speaker of the House of Representatives, represented by Useni Mohammed Jalo, said over 60 per cent of Nigeria’s population is young people and must be deliberately integrated into leadership pipelines.

“Leadership requires more than just good intentions; it demands deliberate investment in education and civic institutions,” Abbas said.

The conference was organised by the federal ministry of youth development in collaboration with the National Defence College.