…Urges PWDs Across 36 States and the FCT to Register
By Lanre Oloyede
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Special Needs and Equal Opportunities, Hon. Mohammed Abba Isa, has commended the Minister of Youth Development, Mr. Ayodele Olawande, and the Chairman of the National Planning Committee for the Youth Confab 2025, Mr. Olubunmi Olusanya, for ensuring that the upcoming National Youth Conference is inclusive and accessible to Persons With Disabilities (PWDs).
Hon. Abba Isa particularly applauded the decision to extend the maximum age limit for PWDs to 40 years—five years above the 35-year cap set for non-PWD participants—describing it as a thoughtful concession that recognizes the unique challenges faced by young Nigerians with disabilities.
He emphasized that the inclusion of PWDs in the conference will provide them with a critical platform to contribute meaningfully, share their lived experiences, and advocate for an inclusive and accessible society.
The Presidential aide encouraged all eligible PWDs across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to seize this opportunity by registering online via the official portal provided by the organizers.
The Federal Government had on Monday launched the official portal for the 2025 National Youth Conference, popularly known as the Youth Confab, with an estimated 36,000 young Nigerians expected to participate.
The portal—https://nationalyouthconfab.gov.ng—is designed to support registration and virtual consultations for youths in Nigeria and the diaspora. Registration is open until 6:00 PM on June 30, 2025.
According to Minister Olawande, the portal was developed with accessibility and interactive features to ensure a seamless registration process for PWDs and persons with special needs.
The launch of the portal follows President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent inauguration of the National Planning Committee, a move aimed at deepening youth engagement and driving inclusive economic growth. The committee will coordinate a series of activities leading up to the conference.
As part of the build-up to the main event, zonal consolidation meetings will be held across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones to capture grassroots perspectives. The process will culminate in the National Conference in Abuja, where policy recommendations will be co-created and submitted to relevant government authorities.
The Youth Confab serves as a strategic platform for young Nigerians to influence national discourse and policymaking in a structured and impactful manner.
With the theme “Next Gen Nigeria: Crafting Solutions, Owning the Future,” the 2025 Youth Confab aims to generate innovative and actionable strategies to address pressing youth-related challenges such as unemployment, political participation, education, healthcare, and more.
