FCT, Abuja — Civil society organizations (CSOs) have called on the Federal Government to prioritize youth engagement in the formulation and implementation of climate policies, emphasizing the crucial role young people play in addressing the climate crisis.

This call was made during an event organized by NGYouthSDGs, highlighting the achievements of their “Climate Action for Stronger Niger” project.

Joshua Alade, Executive Director of NGYouthSDGs, underscored the project’s impact, stating, “We have not only empowered young leaders, but we have also deepened our collective response to the climate crisis.”

He emphasized the necessity of youth participation, saying, “Youth engagement is not optional. It is essential. Young people are not just the future. They are the present, and their voices must be heard in the decisions that shape Nigeria’s climate policies, especially with regards to the Nigerian nationally determined contributions.”

Alade highlighted the project’s focus on empowering youth organizations, noting, “Through this project, we have witnessed firsthand how empowering youth-led civil society organizations can amplify climate action.”

He also announced the launch of a case study on youth innovations and the provision of 5 million naira in seed funding to four youth-led initiatives, stating, “We understand the importance of investing in young people, and when we do that, we make sure that the future is just, is resilient, and is also sustainable.”

Matthias Dold, Head Political Counsellor at the German Embassy, which supported the project, expressed confidence in the youth’s capabilities. “I’m fully confident that the youth is capable of doing this,” Dold said.

“There’s so much innovation, there’s so much creativity, there’s so much drive in Nigerian youth. So I’m really, really confident that they can definitely do this.

“We’ve given a lot of funding to climate change in general, but also to youth organizations, and that’s something that we intend to continue,” he added.

Maruan Umar Gomba, Senior Special Assistant to the Minister of Youth Development on International Cooperation and NGOs, acknowledged the government’s efforts in engaging youth.


https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/03/cso-tasks-fg-on-youth-engagement-for-better-climate-policy-formulation/