By Mercy Peter
The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to empowering Nigerian youths through education, digital skills, and inclusive reforms, describing young people as the driving force behind the country’s future growth and global relevance.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, stated this while delivering the 2026 Convocation Lecture at the 34th Convocation Ceremony of the Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna, Niger State.
The lecture was titled “Youth and Nation Building: Navigating Opportunities in an Era of National Reforms.”
the Minister described Nigeria as a youthful nation endowed with enormous human capital, stressing that the country’s destiny largely depends on how its young population is educated, skilled and productively engaged.
“Nigeria, like the rest of Africa, happens to be a very youthful country, with half of our population under the age of 20, and three-quarters under the age of 35,” Idris said. “With the right education, skilling, and preparation for the rapidly transforming workspaces of the 21st century, Nigeria will be an unstoppable global force.”
He explained that the ongoing reforms under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu were intentional measures aimed at resetting Nigeria’s economic and governance structures to ensure long-term stability and shared prosperity.
According to him, meaningful nation-building cannot be achieved without difficult but necessary reforms.
“There is no nation-building without reforms,” the Minister said. “Reforms protect us from the trap of doing the same thing repeatedly while expecting different results.”
Idris said the reforms were designed to promote fairness, transparency and efficiency, while unlocking resources for national development and attracting investment.
“The goal was never to take more from Nigerians, but to simplify taxation and make it fairer and more transparent,” he explained.
The Minister noted that the reforms are already yielding positive outcomes, including renewed investor confidence and the creation of new opportunities across critical sectors such as technology, agriculture, renewable energy and the creative economy. He added that youths are strategically positioned to benefit the most from these emerging opportunities.
Idris also cited government-backed interventions such as the National Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) as clear evidence of the administration’s commitment to supporting students and expanding access to education.
He said hundreds of thousands of beneficiaries have already been reached, demonstrating the practical impact of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“Through NELFUND, we have incontrovertible proof that the Renewed Hope Agenda is real, functional, impactful, and transformational,” he said.
the Minister urged the graduating students to see themselves as active builders of the nation, encouraging them to seize available opportunities, continuously develop their skills, embrace lifelong learning and consider public service as a means of contributing to national development.
“You can build from where you are, with what you have,” Idris said. “You do not need to wait until you have amassed wealth or influence before contributing to nation-building. Start now.”
He congratulated the graduating students on their achievements and expressed appreciation to the management of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, for the opportunity to deliver the Convocation Lecture.
