The National Population Commission (NPC) has warned that Nigeria risks losing the benefits of its youthful population unless governments at all levels make deliberate investments in education, healthcare, employment, sexual and reproductive health, and youth empowerment.
Chairman of the Commission, Dr. Aminu Yusuf, gave the warning at the 2026 World Population Day (WPD) commemoration themed, “Realising the Hopes and Aspirations of Young People — Today and for the Future,” in Abuja, noting that Nigeria’s estimated population of over 238 million people makes it Africa’s most populous nation and the sixth most populous country in the world.
Stakeholders maintained that the country’s growing youth population could either drive economic prosperity or worsen unemployment, insecurity and poverty if left unsupported.
He noted that about 70 per cent of Nigerians were below the age of 30, describing the country’s youthful population as one of its greatest assets.
Dr. Yusuf, however, stressed that population size alone cannot guarantee development.
“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 growing working-age population is healthy, educated, skilled, productive and economically engaged,” he said.
According to him, failure to invest in young people could turn Nigeria’s demographic advantage into a source of unemployment, insecurity and social instability.
He said the country must prioritise quality education, skills acquisition, healthcare, sexual and reproductive health services, digital inclusion, entrepreneurship, decent jobs, climate resilience and youth participation in governance to harness the demographic dividend.
The NPC Chairman expressed concern that many young Nigerians continue to face barriers such as unemployment, underemployment, gender inequality, poor access to quality education, inadequate healthcare, early pregnancies and gender-based violence.
Citing the 2024 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), he said Nigeria records 77 births per 1,000 girls aged 15 to 19, while about 15 per cent of adolescent girls have already begun childbearing.
He added that modern contraceptive prevalence among young women stands at only 3.3 per cent, while 15.8 per cent of sexually active adolescents have an unmet need for family planning.
According to him, the figures underscore the urgent need for stronger investments in young people’s health, education and future opportunities.
Dr. Yusuf urged governments, development partners, civil society organisations and the private sector to move beyond policy discussions and place young people at the centre of national development.
“We must move from doing things for young people to doing things with young people. Their voices must inform policies, programmes and decisions that shape their future,” he said.
Meanwhile, the United Nations has called for increased investment in Nigeria’s young population, saying millions of youths continue to face inequality despite their enormous potential.
In a message by the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, delivered by the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Malick Fall, the UN noted that about 73 million Nigerians, representing 31.8 per cent of the country’s population, are between the ages of 10 and 24.
The organisation said although young Nigerians continue to demonstrate resilience, innovation and leadership, many still lack access to education, healthcare, decent employment and opportunities needed to realise their aspirations.
The UN expressed concern that one in three Nigerian women aged between 20 and 24 was married before the age of 18, while adolescent birth rates remain significantly higher among girls with no formal education.
According to the UN, the adolescent birth rate among girls without education is 153.9 births per 1,000 women aged 15 to 19, compared with only 11.5 among those with higher education.
“The gap between aspiration and reality is not inevitable. It is a product of inequality, and inequality can be changed,” the message stated.
The global body also noted that 15.7 per cent of women in Nigeria still have an unmet need for family planning, while only 45.7 per cent of births nationwide are attended by skilled health personnel.
It further observed that about 93 per cent of employment in Nigeria remains within the informal sector, limiting decent work opportunities for young people.
The United Nations therefore, urged governments and stakeholders to expand access to quality education, healthcare, sexual and reproductive health services, decent jobs and meaningful youth participation in governance.
Stakeholders at the event agreed that Nigeria’s demographic future would depend largely on the quality of investments made in its young people, urging policymakers to translate commitments into concrete actions capable of unlocking the country’s demographic dividend.