By Folarin Kehinde
The Chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC), Dr. Aminu Yusuf, has warned that Nigeria may fail to reap the benefits of its youthful population unless governments and other stakeholders significantly increase investments in education, healthcare, skills development, employment and youth empowerment.
Yusuf gave the warning at the national commemoration of the 2026 World Population Day in Abuja, stressing that the country’s demographic advantage could become a burden if not properly managed.
Speaking on the theme, “Realizing the Hopes and Aspirations of Young People Today and for the Future,” the NPC chairman said Nigeria’s estimated population of over 238 million, with about 70 per cent below the age of 30, presents enormous opportunities for economic growth but also significant risks if young people are not adequately supported.
“A demographic dividend is not created by numbers alone. It is created when a country makes the right investments and establishes the right policies to ensure that its population, particularly its growing working-age population, is healthy, educated, skilled, productive and economically engaged,” he said.
He added: “The question before Nigeria is not whether we have a youthful population. We do. The question is: Are we investing sufficiently in our young people to transform this demographic reality into sustainable national prosperity?
“If left unaddressed, the very same youthful structure that could drive our prosperity can just as easily become a source of unemployment, insecurity and social pressure.”
Yusuf said Nigeria’s roadmap for harnessing the demographic dividend recognises that deliberate investments in human capital are essential to unlocking the potential of young people.
According to him, priority areas include quality education, skills acquisition, healthcare, sexual and reproductive health services, decent employment, entrepreneurship, digital inclusion, innovation, climate resilience and greater youth participation in governance.
The NPC chairman also expressed concern over key indicators affecting adolescents and young people, citing findings from the 2024 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey.
He disclosed that Nigeria records an adolescent birth rate of 77 births per 1,000 girls aged 15 to 19, while about 15 per cent of girls within that age group have already begun childbearing.
Yusuf further noted that the prevalence of modern contraceptive use among young women remains low at 3.3 per cent, while about 15.8 per cent of sexually active adolescents have an unmet need for family planning.
“These are not merely statistics. They represent young lives. They represent educational opportunities that may be interrupted. They represent choices that may be constrained,” he said.
He called on governments, development partners, civil society organisations, the private sector and other stakeholders to move beyond discussions by making concrete investments that would enable young Nigerians to realise their full potential.
Yusuf also urged policymakers to involve young people in decision-making, saying they should not be treated merely as beneficiaries of development programmes but as partners in shaping Nigeria’s future.
He reaffirmed the National Population Commission’s commitment to working with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and other partners to advance evidence-based population policies and promote sustainable national development.
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