Nigeria will host the 2025 Youth Creative Conference (YCC) from 22–23 October at the ECOWAS Headquarters in Abuja, bringing together over 1,000 young leaders and delegates from across Africa and the diaspora.
Organised in partnership with the African Union (AU) and the YCC Organising Committee, the two-day event will serve as a platform for dialogue, innovation, and collaboration aimed at strengthening peacebuilding and advancing sustainable development across the continent.
Held under the theme “Silencing the Guns: Pathway for Peacebuilding in Africa,” the gathering underscores the central role of young people in driving peace, innovation, good governance, and regional integration.
The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, described the conference as strategically significant, aligning with the AU Agenda 2063, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, and Nigeria’s foreign policy pillars of the Four DAs – Democracy, Diaspora, Development, and Diplomacy.
“With 70 percent of Nigeria’s population made up of young people, we recognise their potential as peacebuilders, innovators, and architects of Africa’s future. This conference provides a vital platform for youth-led dialogue, creative exchange, and inclusive development,” Olawande said.
The conference objectives include:
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Empowering African youth to champion peacebuilding and sustainable development.
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Promoting innovation, entrepreneurship, and good governance.
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Strengthening regional and international partnerships for youth-led development and peace.
Reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to peace and solidarity, the Minister highlighted the country’s contributions to peacekeeping and mediation efforts in Libya, Syria, and The Gambia, as well as its leadership in governance reforms, climate action, digital transformation, and inclusive education.
Convener of the Youth Creativity for Change (YCC) Initiative, Blaize-Kizito Ndukwe, commended its rapid continental recognition since its launch four months ago. He explained that the initiative leverages youth creativity as a tool for peace, using innovative, non-violent approaches that reflect Africa’s diversity.
The African Union, through its Silencing the Guns flagship initiative, reaffirmed its support. Mr Ernest Nya Dolo, Coordinator of the AU’s Silencing the Guns Unit, said:
“Youth are not just the future, they are the present. By partnering with young people across the continent, we are laying the foundation for sustainable peace and inclusive development.”
The Silencing the Guns initiative, guided by a Master Roadmap of Practical Steps, places youth engagement at the centre of efforts to build a conflict-free Africa in collaboration with regional economic communities, governments, civil society, youth networks, and traditional leaders.
The Federal Ministry of Youth Development and its partners called for sustained collaboration to empower African youth as agents of peace, unity, and prosperity.
