Nigeria reaffirms UN partnership to empower women, youth

Abdullateef Fowewe

Nigeria has strengthened its commitment to partnering with the United Nations to boost women’s and youth empowerment, with Vice President Kashim Shettima highlighting financial inclusion, skills development, job creation, and security as key priorities.

Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Communications in the Office of the Vice President, issued a statement on Friday detailing Shettima’s remarks from a Thursday meeting at the Presidential Villa.

There, Shettima received a UN delegation led by Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs, Dr Felipe Paullier.

Shettima emphasised the youth’s vital role, stating, “they are the pillar of the moment upon whom the future of the nation rests.”

He added that President Bola Tinubu “believes in gender equality and youth empowerment,” aiming to transform Nigeria’s “anticipated demographic bulge” into “demographic dividends.”

The Vice President reaffirmed the administration’s dedication, saying, “On behalf of the President, I reaffirm this administration’s commitment to youth development. It is almost inevitable in any dispensation. The youths are the backbone of every society’s transformation.”

He called for new institutional mechanisms with the UN and partners to advance these goals.

Dr Paullier, on his first visit to Nigeria, praised the country’s vibrancy driven by its youth. He noted the UN’s 2022 creation of a dedicated youth office for global support in human rights, training, and skills.

“Nigeria is on the right path to development,” Paullier said, stressing that prioritising youth in decisions, alongside gender equality, employment, and education, will accelerate progress.

The UN team is in Nigeria to align with the government’s vision and enhance multi-agency support.