Nigerian youths deserve jobs, not explanations for hardship – Tinubu

By Luminous Jannamike ABUJA — President Bola Tinubu has acknowledged growing expectations among Nigerian youths for jobs, affordable living conditions and better opportunities, saying they deserve more than explanations for the economic difficulties confronting the country. Tinubu, who spoke through the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, at the closing ceremony of the 2026 National Youth Conference in Abuja, said his administration had a responsibility to address concerns over unemployment, the cost of living, access to education, business opportunities and insecurity.

In a statement by the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, the President said young Nigerians expected a country where hard work was rewarded, talent recognised and opportunities were not determined by personal connections or place of birth. “I know that these reforms have come with sacrifices. But I also know that young Nigerians deserve more than explanations about the difficulties of today.

You deserve to see the opportunities of tomorrow becoming realities in your lives,” he said. Tinubu said his administration was investing in education, skills development, innovation and entrepreneurship through initiatives including the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, Three Million Technical Talent programme, YouthCred and the Nigerian Youth Academy.

He, however, acknowledged the need to ensure that skills training translated into employment, innovation attracted investment and young entrepreneurs had access to finance, irrespective of their backgrounds or locations. On the outcome of the conference, Tinubu said the real test would be whether its recommendations translated into concrete action, rather than becoming another report abandoned on government shelves.

“The real test of this Conference begins after today. I do not want the recommendations of this Conference to become another report gathering dust on government shelves. I want them to become a guide for action,” he declared. He directed the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, to work with relevant ministries, departments and agencies, state governments, the private sector and development partners to develop an implementation framework with clear priorities, assigned responsibilities, realistic timelines and measurable indicators of progress.

The President also insisted that young Nigerians must be involved in implementing and monitoring the decisions, rather than being invited only when recommendations were being discussed. Earlier, Olawande disclosed that the conference had produced an 18-point action agenda covering six priority areas, following nationwide virtual consultations and physical deliberations involving youth representatives from across the country and the diaspora.

The minister said the recommendations would be pursued through the executive, legislative and judicial arms of government, with the Ministry working alongside relevant stakeholders to ensure they received the necessary institutional attention. “For the first time in the history of this country, the youth can feel the government, see the government, and touch the government,” Olawande declared.

Delivering the keynote address, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, challenged young Nigerians to take greater responsibility for shaping the country’s economic future, warning that negative perceptions and distorted narratives could discourage investment and undermine job creation. “A factory that is not built means jobs that are not created,” Oyedele said, urging the delegates to embrace constructive engagement, innovation and practical solutions to national challenges.

He stressed that economic progress must translate into tangible benefits for citizens through increased investment, production, job creation and shared prosperity.