The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Mrs Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, has said youth empowerment must translate into jobs, innovation and sustainable development.
Orelope-Adefulire said this in a keynote address at the 2026 iHEAL Global Youth Impact Forum in Abuja on Tuesday, organised by Waterlight Save Initiative for young Nigerians across the country.
Represented by Mr Desmond Utomwen, Special Assistant on Media, Publicity and Strategic Communication, she said young people should be seen as indispensable partners and active architects of national and global transformation.
According to her, Nigeria’s large youth population offers enormous potential to accelerate development when supported with quality education, access to finance, mentorship, innovation ecosystems and participation in decision-making.
She emphasised that youth empowerment must move beyond rhetoric to deliberate investment in human capital, urging young people to become innovators, problem-solvers, ethical leaders and responsible citizens.
Orelope-Adefulire challenged youths to champion sustainable development, peace, inclusion and environmental sustainability within their communities through practical actions that supported national development goals.
She said President Bola Tinubu’s administration remained committed to expanding opportunities for young Nigerians through economic diversification, digital innovation, entrepreneurship, skills development and job creation initiatives.
The presidential aide added that her office had continued implementing interventions in healthcare, education, water and sanitation, renewable energy, social protection, livelihoods and skills acquisition nationwide.
She emphasised stronger partnerships among government, development institutions, academia, civil society and the private sector to expand access to finance, mentorship, incubation programmes and global opportunities.
Orelope-Adefulire urged participants to leverage technology, knowledge and global networks not only for personal advancement but also to drive sustainable national transformation and create opportunities for others.
Also speaking, Mrs Olufolake AbdulRazaq, wife of the Kwara Governor and Chairperson of the initiative’s Advisory Board, called for greater inclusion of youths and women in governance.
AbdulRazaq said youth participation remained critical to Nigeria’s socioeconomic and political transformation, adding that young people must be prepared and encouraged to contribute meaningfully to governance.
She noted that the Kwara Government had demonstrated commitment to youth inclusion through appointments and programmes designed to position young people for leadership and public participation.
The governor’s wife urged participants to maximise networking and mentorship opportunities provided by the forum and make effective use of grants and empowerment items distributed to beneficiaries.
She described the iHEAL initiative, unveiled at the World Sustainability Summit in Doha, Qatar, as a shift from traditional aid towards sustainable development and long-term community empowerment.
Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer of Waterlight Save Initiative and Convener of the Forum, Mr Ero Ibhafidon, said the event was anchored on the iHEAL Framework.
According to him, the framework covers innovation, healthcare, education, agriculture, water access, leadership, livelihoods and other interconnected pillars designed to drive sustainable development and empowerment.
Ibhafidon said the initiative aimed to create practical pathways for young people to move from potential to productivity, ideas to enterprise and dependency to economic self-reliance.
He disclosed that selected young entrepreneurs received non-refundable grants of N1 million and N500,000 to establish, strengthen and expand their businesses across communities.
The initiative also distributed sewing machines, industrial grinding machines, hairdressing kits, professional makeup equipment and other vocational support tools to beneficiaries.
Former member of the House of Representatives, Mr Shina Peller, urged African youths to embrace entrepreneurship, leadership and active citizenship to drive development and economic growth.
Peller encouraged young people to move beyond dependence on government and private-sector jobs, emphasising that entrepreneurship should create opportunities while addressing societal challenges.
In her remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of Lokoja Dialogues, Mrs Polly Alakija, urged young Nigerians to contribute innovative ideas towards solving the country’s water challenges.
Alakija said Nigeria possessed abundant natural resources and a youthful population but still faced challenges in ensuring equitable access to water across communities.
She called on stakeholders to move from dialogue to action by fostering collaboration among communities, policymakers, innovators, academia and the public and private sectors.
Also speaking, Waterlight Sustainable Ambassador, Miss Dorcas Mutfwang, said the iHEAL framework was designed to address poverty through holistic, community-led and sustainable development approaches.
She added that the initiative aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals while strengthening resilience and improving livelihoods in communities across the country.
