The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has called on Nigerian youths to take advantage of the opportunities created by ongoing national reforms, describing them as critical pathways for personal development and sustainable nation-building.
Idris made the call while delivering the 2026 Convocation Lecture at the 34th Convocation Ceremony of the Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna, Niger State.
The lecture, titled “Youth and Nation Building: Navigating Opportunities in an Era of National Reforms,” was delivered to graduating students and members of the academic community.
Addressing the graduates, the Minister described Nigeria as a youthful nation with vast potential, noting that the country’s future largely depends on how its young population is educated, skilled, and meaningfully engaged.
“Nigeria, like the rest of Africa, is a very youthful country, with half of our population under the age of 20 and three-quarters under the age of 35,” Idris said. “With the right education, skills, and preparation for the rapidly transforming workplaces of the 21st century, Nigeria will become an unstoppable global force.”
He explained that the reforms introduced under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration were deliberate steps aimed at resetting Nigeria’s economic and governance systems, stressing that meaningful nation-building cannot be achieved without reform.
“There is no nation-building without reforms,” he said. “Reforms protect us from the trap of doing the same thing repeatedly while expecting different results.”
Highlighting key initiatives such as the removal of petrol subsidy, foreign exchange unification, and the introduction of new tax laws, the Minister said the reforms were designed to create a fairer, more transparent system capable of unlocking resources for development and investment.
“The objective was never to take more from Nigerians, but to simplify taxation and make it fairer and more transparent,” he noted.
Idris added that the reforms are already yielding positive outcomes, including renewed investor confidence and expanded opportunities in sectors such as technology, agriculture, renewable energy, and the creative economy, with young Nigerians positioned as major beneficiaries.
He also cited government-backed interventions like the National Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which he said has supported hundreds of thousands of students, as evidence that the Renewed Hope Agenda is delivering tangible results.
“Through NELFUND, we have clear proof that the Renewed Hope Agenda is real, functional, impactful, and transformational,” the Minister said.
In his closing remarks, Idris encouraged the graduates to see themselves as active contributors to nation-building, urging them to continuously develop their skills, embrace lifelong learning, and consider public service as a platform for national impact.
“You can build from where you are, with what you have,” he said. “You do not need to wait until you have wealth or influence before contributing to nation-building. Start now.”
The Minister congratulated the graduating students and thanked the management of FUT Minna for the invitation to deliver the Convocation Lecture.
Dignitaries at the event included the representative of the Niger State Governor and Commissioner for Information, Mr. Obet Nana; Vice-Chancellor of FUT Minna, Prof. Abdallah Adamu Kuta; former Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Muftau Akanji; Senator Peter Nda Alkali, representing Niger South Senatorial Zone; Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria, Malam Jibrin Baba Ndace; and former Minister of Sports, Alhaji Sani Ndanusa, among others.