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The Not Too Young To Perform (NTYTP) Leadership Development Advocacy has called for urgent and united action to empower and protect young Nigerians, unveiling a nationwide security initiative in the lead-up to International Youth Day 2025.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Mikail Audu, the organisation urged all levels of government, corporate bodies, and policymakers to embrace the official global theme for this year’s celebration — “Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond” — alongside its specific focus, “Youth Advancing Multilateral Cooperation Through Technology and Partnerships.”

NTYTP described these themes as “urgent mandates” requiring coordinated and measurable responses from both state and non-state actors. The group noted that Nigeria’s youthful population remains the nation’s greatest asset but also its most vulnerable demographic, especially amid worsening insecurity affecting young women and the girl-child.

The organisation raised alarm over the rising incidents of abductions, exploitation, disappearances, and killings of young women, particularly in public spaces such as hotels. It attributed these dangers to a lack of security awareness, preventive education, and adequate institutional response.

To address this challenge, NTYTP announced the launch of a National Youth Safety and Security Summit, a large-scale intervention aimed at fostering a culture of safety consciousness and proactive engagement among young Nigerians. The summit will debut in Abuja, convening government officials, security agencies, youth and women leaders, academics, students, civil society actors, and development partners. Discussions will centre on security awareness, digital safety, and risk management.

Following its national inauguration, the summit will roll out to all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, targeting schools, community-based organisations, women’s groups, and high-risk communities. Over the next three years, the initiative will expand into 185 tertiary institutions nationwide, establishing safety clubs and distributing the NTYTP Safety and Security Handbook for the Girl-Child and Young Women. The handbook, developed with input from security experts, survivors, community leaders, and young people, will provide practical guidance on personal, public, and digital safety.

The handbook’s official unveiling will coincide with a national dinner and awards night honouring individuals and institutions that have significantly contributed to youth safety in Nigeria.

NTYTP has extended an open invitation to federal, state, and local governments, corporate organisations, civil society, the media, and development partners to collaborate on the initiative. Opportunities for partnership include endorsements, funding, technical expertise, institutional mobilisation, and active participation in the handbook’s creation and summit activities.

Comrade Audu emphasised that the summit represents more than a one-off event. “This is the start of a sustained national movement to safeguard the lives and aspirations of Nigeria’s youth,” he said. “By translating this year’s International Youth Day vision into concrete action, we can create an environment where every Nigerian youth — especially the girl-child and young women — can reach their potential, drive sustainable development, and help build a safer, stronger, and more inclusive nation.”

International Youth Day is observed annually on August 12.

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