The Future Pathways Development Initiative (FPDI) announced plans on Tuesday to engage over 800 young Nigerians in a landmark governance and policy development conference to mark International Youth Day 2025.
It also described the conference as the culmination of a nationwide policy challenge involving over 800 participants. It stated that it reflects a growing desire among young people to shape Nigeria’s political and developmental future.
In a statement, FPDI Founder Ayokunnu Ojeniyi disclosed that the event has already received hundreds of policy submissions from students across federal, state, and private tertiary institutions nationwide.
Scheduled to take place on August 12, 2025, at the Shehu Musa Yar’adua Centre, Abuja, the event is themed: “Rethinking National Unity: Governance Reforms for Strengthening Social Cohesion in Nigeria.”
Ojeniyi said: “The conference marks the culmination of a nationwide policy challenge that attracted more than 800 participants and hundreds of policy proposals from undergraduate students across federal, state, and private tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
“The event will serve as a bold call for more inclusive decision-making, deeper civic involvement, and candid discussions about Nigeria’s and Africa’s future.”
In his remarks, the Executive Director of FPDI, Arinola Addo Daniel, emphasised that the conference will go beyond optics and slogans to focus on authentic dialogue, bold policy ideas, and youth-led nation-building.
Daniel said, “We’re creating a platform for genuine dialogue, tough questions, and visionary ideas from young Nigerians ready to move beyond being sidelined and to contribute to nation-building actively.
“Governance reforms are not merely about restructuring institutions, but about reimagining the social contract between citizens and the state, and young people must be integral to this reimagining process.
“Future Pathways Development Initiative (FPDI) is a pan-African organisation working to strengthen governance outcomes by amplifying citizen engagement, particularly among young people. This convening is one of several efforts by FPDI to create avenues for young Africans to lead reform, not in theory, but in practice.”
