Abuja: The Committee of Youth on Mobilisation and Sensitisation (CYMS) has joined the global call to support young people leading grassroots actions for sustainable development. CYMS Director General, Chief Obinna Nwaka, emphasized the importance of local youth actions in achieving sustainable change during the 2025 International Youth Day celebration in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the 2025 United Nations theme, ‘Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond,’ underpinned CYMS’s message. Nwaka stated that this theme aligns with the organization’s mission to empower Nigerian youth as pivotal agents of societal transformation. He highlighted that local initiatives are essential for sustainable change and are instrumental in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Nwaka pointed out the significant contributions of young Nigerians in various sectors, including climate resilience, digital innovation, gender equality, peacebuilding, and entrepreneurship. He praised the efforts of the Minister of Youth Development, Mr. Ayodele Olawande, in supporting and empowering youth nationwide to address community-based challenges, dubbing him the best Youth Minister in Nigeria’s history.
Nwaka acknowledged the vital role of Nigerian youth in addressing local challenges through innovative solutions such as clean-up drives, tech solutions, agricultural innovations, and social impact campaigns. He noted that these efforts embody the essence of the SDGs in action.
To commemorate International Youth Day, CYMS unveiled a series of nationwide activities designed to enhance youth involvement in the SDG agenda. These activities include youth town halls, intergenerational dialogues, leadership training sessions, digital literacy workshops, and innovation showcases throughout Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
Nwaka called on stakeholders, including government institutions, the private sector, civil society organizations, and development partners, to increase support for youth-led initiatives. He stressed the need to invest in young people by providing platforms, resources, and policies that enable them to thrive.
As Nigeria joins the global community in marking International Youth Day, CYMS reaffirms its commitment to inclusive, sustainable, and youth-centered policies and programs. Nwaka emphasized that young people are not only tomorrow’s leaders but today’s change-makers, actively shaping a sustainable and inclusive future.
