NPC URGES YOUTH-DRIVEN POLICY ACTION AT WORLD POPULATION DAY

At the National World Population Day event in Abuja, the National Population Commission (NPC) reaffirmed its commitment to translating Nigeria’s youth demographic into social and economic opportunity. Chairman Nasir Isa Kwarra noted that Nigeria’s population—more than 200 million strong and dominated by youth—requires policymaking that goes beyond mere data gathering.
Kwarra pointed to the global theme, “Empowering Young People to Create the Families They Want in a Fair and Hopeful World,” as deeply reflective of Nigeria’s reality. Nigeria’s youth, he said, are not waiting for inclusion; they demand leadership, innovation, and autonomy. He stressed prioritizing reproductive health education, mental health, identity registration, and economic access as foundational to their empowerment.
Minister Sulaiman‑Ibrahim underscored a critical gap: millions of girls and women—especially in rural areas—lack identification cards, effectively excluding them from healthcare, financial services, and social welfare. She urged the deployment of mobile registration units and partnerships across public and private sectors to bridge these gaps.
Senate Committee Chairman on National Identity, Senator Victor Umeh, emphasized credible census data’s centrality for effective youth-responsive policies and pledged continuing legislative support for NPC’s reforms. Youth Minister Ayodele Olawande announced that the Ministry’s YO‑HEALTH initiative is expanding access to reproductive services and health insurance for informal-sector youth. Together, officials called for sustained cross-sector collaboration to ensure Nigeria’s youthful population becomes a force for national transformation—rather than being overlooked or underserved.