The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Students Engagement, Comrade Sunday Asefon, has urged Nigerian youths to move beyond seeing themselves as beneficiaries of government programmes and embrace their role as co-creators of the Nigeria they desire.
Asefon made the call in his message at the 2026 International Youth Day celebration, hosted by the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, where young Nigerians, development partners, stakeholders and other distinguished guests gathered to commemorate the day under the theme, “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations.”
In his powerful message, the presidential aide said the theme aptly captures the shared aspirations of young people across Nigeria despite differences in their backgrounds, cultures, communities and circumstances.
According to him, young Nigerians are united by common desires for quality education, decent opportunities, meaningful employment, innovation, inclusion, security and a future where their talents can be transformed into tangible impact.
Asefon, who has engaged with students and young people across universities and other institutions in his capacity as Senior Special Assistant to the President on Students Engagement, said such engagements had reinforced his conviction that Nigerian youths are not merely leaders of tomorrow, but partners in building the Nigeria of today and tomorrow.
He further reaffirmed the commitment of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to creating an enabling environment for young Nigerians to acquire relevant skills, access education, take advantage of digital opportunities, develop entrepreneurial capacity and contribute meaningfully to national development.
He noted that government interventions in education, skills development, digital acceleration, student support, entrepreneurship and innovation were designed to ensure that no young Nigerian is left behind.
Asefon stressed that geographical, cultural and socioeconomic differences should not become barriers to shared national aspirations.
He pointed out that whether a young person is in Lagos or Lafia, Enugu or Ekiti, Kano or Calabar, the dreams and aspirations remain connected by the desire for a better Nigeria.
The presidential aide therefore called on Nigerian youths to take ownership of the nation's development by embracing innovation, acquiring new skills, promoting peace, rejecting violence, supporting one another and deploying their collective energy towards solving the challenges confronting the country.
FULL STATEMENT BY COMRADE SUNDAY ASEFON
OUR MESSAGE TO NIGERIAN YOUTH AT 2026 INTERNATIONAL YOUTH DAY CELEBRATION
Theme: “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations”
I am delighted to join the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, young Nigerians, development partners, stakeholders, and distinguished guests from across the country in celebrating the 2026 International Youth Day.
The theme, “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations,” is a powerful reminder that although young people come from different backgrounds, cultures, communities, and circumstances, we share common hopes and aspirations: access to quality education, decent opportunities, meaningful employment, innovation, inclusion, security, and a future where our talents can translate into impact.
As the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Students Engagement, I have had the privilege of engaging with students and young people across our universities and institutions. These engagements have strengthened my conviction that Nigerian youths are not merely leaders of tomorrow; we are partners in building the Nigeria of today and tomorrow.
The administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is committed to creating an environment where young Nigerians can acquire relevant skills, access education, embrace digital opportunities, develop entrepreneurial capacity, and contribute meaningfully to national development. Through initiatives in education, skills development, digital acceleration, student support, entrepreneurship and innovation, we are working to ensure that no young Nigerian is left behind.
Our different contexts should never become barriers to our common aspirations. Whether a young person is in Lagos or Lafia, Enugu or Ekiti, Kano or Calabar, our dreams remain connected by a desire for a better Nigeria.
Today, therefore, I call on Nigerian youths to see themselves not only as beneficiaries of government programmes, but also as co-creators of the Nigeria we desire. Let us embrace innovation, acquire new skills, promote peace, reject violence, support one another, and use our collective energy to solve the challenges confronting our nation.
On this International Youth Day, I celebrate the courage, creativity, resilience and potential of Nigerian youths. I also reaffirm my commitment, and that of my office, to continuous engagement with students and young people across the country.
Let us transform our different contexts into diverse strengths and our common aspirations into collective action.
Happy International Youth Day 2026 to all Nigerian youths.
Together, we can build a more inclusive, innovative and prosperous Nigeria.
Thank you, and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Comrade Sunday Asefon
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Students Engagement.
