Former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Muhammadu Jega, has warned that Nigeria’s stability could be at risk if opportunities continue to elude the country’s young people.
Speaking in Abuja at the 10th anniversary celebration of the I Am Change (IAC) Organisation, a youth-led non-profit focused on sensitisation, education support, humanitarian relief, entrepreneurship, leadership training, and community mobilisation, Jega delivered a candid assessment of the worsening youth situation in the country.
He noted that despite representing nearly 70 per cent of Nigeria’s population, many young people are trapped in an under-resourced education system, only to graduate into unemployment or insecure, informal work.
According to him, this vacuum leaves them vulnerable to negative political mobilisation, economic hardship, and disengagement from constructive civic participation.
Under such conditions, Jega said, the popular notion that “youths are the leaders of tomorrow” risks becoming empty rhetoric unless urgent corrective action is taken.
He urged federal and state governments to partner credible youth-focused organisations – such as IAC – led by committed, visionary Nigerians.
Beyond funding, he stressed the need for structural reforms that expand learning opportunities, build capacity, nurture leadership and create pathways for youth inclusion in governance.
While acknowledging government awareness of the risks posed by youth neglect, he criticised what he described as the “talk-heavy, action-light” nature of current interventions.
“Only evidence-based, ethically-grounded and consistently implemented policies, not token programmes or last-minute palliatives, can address the crisis”, he said.
Jega, a former Vice-Chancellor of Bayero University Kano (BUK), called for deliberate and sustained national investment in youth development, warning that Nigeria’s future would remain bleak without such commitment.
Jega also appealed to patriotic Nigerians, civil society groups and professional bodies to engage government constructively rather than merely lament the nation’s challenges. What Nigeria needs, he said, is “serious organising” to drive the positive change citizens seek.
He received an award at the event in recognition of his support for the organisation, concluding with a prayer for its continued growth and service.
In her welcome address, Shinkafi warned that Nigeria risks “wasting an entire generation” if it continues to overlook the creativity, capacity and leadership potential of its youth.
