Experts in leadership and youth development have urged Nigerian youths to develop relevant skills, demonstrate integrity and embrace mentorship to maximise opportunities and contribute to national development.
They made the call at the Next Generation Summit on Monday in Abuja. The event brought together young professionals, entrepreneurs, business leaders and other stakeholders to discuss leadership, career development and Africa’s future.
Dr Offiong Archibong-Anyiawu, an international development expert and strategy adviser, said Africa’s future depended on the quality of people prepared to lead its businesses, industries and institutions.
Archibong-Anyiawu said technology, manufacturing and energy offered significant opportunities for young Africans to establish businesses, solve societal problems and contribute to economic growth.
She said unemployment, skills gaps, limited access to finance, poor mentorship and the disconnect between education and industry were major challenges confronting young people.
She urged youths to develop competence, integrity, commercial intelligence, adaptability and collaboration skills, stressing the importance of emotional, social and cultural intelligence in building successful careers.
“Leadership development requires experienced leaders to mentor younger people and replicate their knowledge and values to prepare the next generation for greater responsibilities,” she said.
She encouraged young professionals to embrace volunteering and continuous learning, adding that they must build their capacities to become valuable contributors to their chosen sectors.
Lucy Doggett-Kamero, a Kingdom Business Network coordinator for Global Advance, Kenya, advocated the development of faith-driven business leaders who combined professional excellence with integrity and a commitment to societal development.
Doggett-Kamero said businesses and careers could serve as platforms for service, mentorship and evangelism, adding that Christian values should influence leadership decisions, workplace relationships and business practices.
She said spiritual development, professional competence and the integration of marketplace influence with global missions were three priorities for raising the next generation of faith-driven African leaders.
She added that young entrepreneurs should be equipped with practical skills, professional guidance and business opportunities to enable them to compete globally while maintaining strong ethical values.
“We must help them understand that Christian leadership is not merely about carrying a Christian identity into the marketplace. It is about allowing the character and teachings of Christ to govern their lives.
“Through leadership development and Bible-based training, we can nurture leaders who pursue excellence without sacrificing their convictions. The objective is clear: to produce leaders whose character can sustain the influence their competence attracts,” she said.
In her welcome address, Dr Unyime Hamilton, a leader in youth and women’s development, said more than 2,000 participants had registered for the summit, compared with about 1,000 at the previous edition.
Hamilton said participants had registered from 20 states across Nigeria, reflecting growing interest among young people in career advancement and professional development.
She also said the second edition of the Career Champions Programme would provide 1,000 selected young Nigerians with full scholarships worth N500,000 each for training in cybersecurity, data analytics, software engineering and project management.
According to her, the six-month programme would combine technical training with soft skills development and mentorship, while the organisation aimed to train at least one million young Nigerians within three years.
Earlier, Hamilton Lamech, Executive Director of the Tribe Africa Institute, said the programme would devote its first two months to soft skills, including emotional intelligence, communication, problem-solving, presentation and CV writing, before proceeding to technical training.
Lamech said the programme’s post-training support would focus on helping beneficiaries secure internships or business opportunities, with the aim of enabling them to find employment within 90 days.
He added that participants would receive guidance on job applications, professional networking and entrepreneurship during the training.
He said the programme would also collaborate with small and medium-sized enterprises to provide practical experience, adding that its success would be measured by the employment and business outcomes achieved by participants.
He urged beneficiaries to demonstrate commitment and apply the knowledge acquired during the programme to real-world challenges, adding that the ultimate goal was to equip young Nigerians with the skills and opportunities to succeed professionally.
