In a bid to equip young Nigerians with the facts, tools, and confidence to make safe, informed choices, The Nigeria Solidarity Support Fund (NSSF); a not-for-profit organisation that focuses on addressing pertinent health issues in Nigeria through youth advocacy and policy development, recently announced the fifth edition of the WeNaija Campaign 5.0, running from September 8th to November 8th, 2025, with the theme “Own Your Choice.”
The focal point of this year’s edition of the national youth campaign is on Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH), specifically, the real-world risks of incomplete or abstinence-only sex education.
WeNaija, NSSF’s flagship youth platform, now in its fifth year, has continued to spotlight urgent health issues, including COVID-19, HPV vaccination, and drug abuse, mobilising thousands of youths to create videos, spoken word, and visual storytelling that spark public dialogue and spur action. Building on that momentum, the 2025 edition reframes SRH as both a health and youth-empowerment imperative.
Managing Director, NSSF, Dr. Fejiro Chinye-Nwoko, believes that it is time for Nigerian youth to start having important conversations about their bodies and wellbeing without the fear of getting stigmatised: “Nigeria’s young people deserve accurate, judgment-free information about their bodies, rights, and health options. WeNaija 5.0 is about moving beyond silence and stigma to evidence, empathy, and empowerment, so that the next generation can truly own their choices and their futures.”
“Our goal is simple: bring clarity where there’s confusion, bring care where there’s judgment, and bring youth to the table where decisions about their health are made,” added Dr. Chinye-Nwoko.
Evidence shows that gaps in SRH education fuel harmful outcomes for young people, including high rates of adolescent pregnancy, unsafe abortions, and STI/HIV risk, exacerbated by stigma, misinformation, and inconsistent implementation of school curricula. Nigeria’s unmet need for family planning remains significant, while adolescent contraceptive use is low and youth-friendly services are often hard to access or judgmental.
These realities underline the urgency of centering comprehensive, age-appropriate SRH that covers sexual maturity, consent, the benefits of abstinence and safer-sex practices, access to services, and mental-emotional well-being.
As part of the annual campaign, NSSF will be holding a video submission contest where participants will be presented the chance create short 2–3-minute videos, that explain what Sexual Reproductive Health is and why comprehensive education matters, show how incomplete education has affected young people (medically, psychologically, socially, or economically), and share youth-led ideas for delivering SRH education that is practical, respectful, and truly helpful.
Interested applicants can submit entries by visiting www.nigeriasolidarityfund.ng and completing their registration, before uploading their submissions on Instagram, Facebook or TikTok with the hashtag #OwnYourChoice and tagging @WeNaija_byNSSF on all platforms. Finaists will be recognized and Winners will be announced at the WeNaija YouthFest & Winners’ Showcase on December 6, 2025, alongside policy dialogues, expert panels, and creative showcases that advance youth-friendly SRH services and advocacy.
