Kaduna Begins Review Of Youth Policy

Kaduna State government has commenced the review of its youth policy with a focus on integrating the Digital–Green Twin Transition as a pathway to job creation, innovation and sustainable development.

The dialogue, held yesterday in Kaduna, brought together key stakeholders at a forum organised by the Civic Impact for Sustainable Development Foundation, with the theme “Harnessing Kaduna’s Demographic Dividend, Mainstreaming the Digital-Green Twin Transition into the State Youth Policy.”

Presenting an overview of the review, the executive director of Civic Impact, Yusuf Goje, described Kaduna’s youthful population as a strategic economic advantage, recalling that the 2021–2025 Youth Policy projected the State’s population to reach 12.9 million by 2030, positioning Kaduna at a critical demographic crossroads.

Goje noted that youths already constitute the future workforce, with about 43 per cent of the population under the age of 15.

He, however, said unemployment remains high, with about 35 per cent of youths aged 15–35 out of work, while nearly 60 per cent of those aged 15–24 are classified as Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET).

He stressed that gender disparities must be addressed, noting that females make up about 54.6 per cent of the youth population, while access to youth-friendly health services remains limited, with only 17.6 per cent of deliveries taking place in health facilities and just three youth-friendly health centres across the state.

According to Goje, the youth policy is built on five pillars aligned with the Kaduna State Development Plan, covering workforce productivity, health and social welfare, participation, protection and partnerships, and categorises youths into low-risk, vulnerable and most-at-risk groups to ensure inclusive interventions.

He identified gaps in the existing policy framework, explaining that digital development and environmental sustainability are treated as separate sectors, limiting green-tech job creation.

He added that digital skills training is largely restricted to basic office applications, while environmental action is reduced to conservation and waste management.

Goje also called for solar-powered digital hubs to tackle rural digital exclusion and reduce carbon footprints, as well as the creation of a Twin Transition Venture Fund to support youth-led digital climate solutions.

Earlier in her remarks, the Commissioner for Youth Development, Gloria Ibrahim, explained that youth inclusion remains central to effective governance, adding that the ministry was created to correct years of youth exclusion from policies that directly affect them.

Ibrahim also lamented poor awareness of frameworks such as the Demographic Dividend Roadmap, assuring that the ministry is strengthening community engagement, expanding partnerships that provide grants and support for youth-led MSMEs, and investing in technology hubs and green transport to promote legitimate wealth creation.