The National Youth Wing of the All Progressives Congress has reaffirmed its commitment to creating more opportunities for young Nigerians to lead, innovate and participate actively in governance and economic development.

The APC youth wing made the commitment in a statement issued to mark the 2026 International Youth Day, themed “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations.”

The APC National Youth Leader, Dayo Israel, said young Nigerians should no longer be regarded merely as beneficiaries of government programmes or leaders of tomorrow, but as critical partners in shaping the country’s present and future.

He noted that the growing interest of young Nigerians in democratic participation underscored the need for political institutions and policymakers to create sustainable platforms for meaningful youth engagement.

Citing data from the Independent National Electoral Commission’s Continuous Voter Registration update, Israel said 2,836,995 Nigerians aged between 18 and 34, representing 68.83 per cent of completed registrations, had registered to vote in the commission’s Phase II, Week 15 update as of April 28, 2026.

He said the figures demonstrated the strong interest of young Nigerians in civic participation and reinforced the need for greater inclusion in the political process.

“Young people are not merely the leaders of tomorrow; they are partners in shaping the Nigeria of today.

“Our responsibility is to create the opportunities, platforms and pathways through which their ideas can have impact. The future of Nigeria cannot be built for young people without young people,” Israel said.

He said the APC Youth Wing, under his leadership, had introduced several capacity-building and policy engagement initiatives aimed at equipping young Nigerians with the skills and platforms required to participate meaningfully in national development.

Among the initiatives is the Renewed Hope Conversations series, which includes the Campus Policy Dialogue at the University of Abuja.

Israel said the platform provides students and young citizens with opportunities to engage public officials, interrogate governance policies and narrow the gap between policy formulation and the expectations of young Nigerians.

He added that the youth wing had also partnered with private and non-governmental organisations to strengthen young people’s expertise in critical sectors, including energy and fiscal policy.

He listed the Mustapha Abdullahi Energy Leadership Fellowship, organised in collaboration with the Dam Foundation to train emerging leaders in energy transition, and the Zacch Adedeji Taxation and Fiscal Policy Fellowship among the initiatives.

Israel said the youth wing had also expanded digital and grassroots engagement through its community platform, the SWIP App.