The Federal government has been urged to create more enabling structures and opportunities for young Nigerians to participate actively in governance, peacebuilding and community development.

The Country Director of International Alert Nigeria, Kingsley Udo while speaking at the Young maker Change Summit yesterday in Abuja also urged the youths not to wait for someone to create opportunities for them, but should take the initiative to make positive contributions to their communities.

He said the energy and passion associated with youth could be channelled into productive activities that would positively transform society.

“There is an inner energy that comes with the word youth. When you are a youth, there is an inner energy. There is something inside of you that will drive you,” he said.

Udo said although government and development partners had introduced several youth-focused programmes, more needed to be done given the country’s large youthful population, nothing that young people could only maximise their potential if the country provided the necessary systems and structures to support their emergence.

He said an unfavourable civic space, lack of voice and limited opportunities could discourage young people from participating meaningfully in national development. “If you don’t build systems and structures that will make the youth emerge, if you shut them down, you don’t give them voice and agency, how will they emerge?” he asked.

Udo warned that countries that failed to empower their young population risked losing their skills to other countries, as young people could seek opportunities abroad or change their nationality.

He urged parents, communities and all levels of government to support young people by encouraging their creativity, energy and participation in development. He called for greater intervention from the Federal Government, state governments and local governments, particularly at the grassroots where young people live.

Also speaking, the a Youth Policy Analysis, Dr Azizat Ishal, said young Nigerians must be given platforms to lead development initiatives rather than being treated merely as participants or observers.

Ishal said young people had critical roles to play in addressing climate change, peacebuilding and democratic development in Nigeria.

According to her, Nigeria has one of the largest youthful populations in the world and young people occupy a strategic position in shaping the country’s future and that of Africa.

She said young people must understand the challenges affecting their communities and actively engage with available government opportunities.

“It is important that young people have the platform for them to be able to lead, not only just participate or observe, but to lead in the development that they want to see,” she said.

Ishal noted that insecurity and conflicts in different communities continued to affect education, access to opportunities and meaningful participation in society.

She said young people could either become victims or perpetrators of conflicts or play a leading role in promoting peace and development within their communities.

She therefore called for greater efforts to empower young people to become peace champions and active participants in democratic and climate-related initiatives.

According to her, peacebuilding should remain at the centre of efforts to create an environment where young Nigerians can contribute meaningfully to national development.