FG Supports Youths in Educ, Digital Skills to make Nigeria a Global Force.

From MY Bina in Minna

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris Malagi has urged Nigerian youths to utilize various opportunities created by ongoing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration national reforms to better their future.

The Minister stated this while delivering the 2026 Convocation Lecture at the 34th Convocation Ceremony of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger State. The lecture was titled “Youth and Nation Building: Navigating Opportunities in an Era of National Reforms.” in Minna.

Idis Malagi described Nigeria as a youthful nation with immense potential, noting that the country’s future depends mainly on how its young population is educated, skilled and engaged, adding that they are critical pathways for personal growth and nation-building.

He explained that the reforms introduced under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration were deliberate and necessary steps to reset Nigeria’s economic and governance systems, stressing that nation-building cannot happen without reform. “There is no nation-building without reforms,” the Minister said. “Reforms protect us from the trap of doing the same thing repeatedly while expecting different results.”

The minister highlighted key reforms such as the removal of petrol subsidy, foreign exchange unification and the new tax laws, the Minister said the aim was not to burden citizens but to create a fairer, more transparent system that unlocks resources for development and investment. “The goal was never to take more from Nigerians, but to simplify taxation and make it fairer and more transparent,” he said.

Idris noted that the reforms are already attracting renewed investor confidence and creating opportunities across sectors, including technology, agriculture, renewable energy and the creative economy, with young Nigerians positioned as primary beneficiaries.

He also pointed to government-backed programmes such as the National Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which has supported hundreds of thousands of students, as evidence that the Renewed Hope Agenda is yielding real and measurable impact. “Through NELFUND, we have incontrovertible proof that the Renewed Hope Agenda is real, functional, impactful, and transformational,” he said.

The Minister however, encouraged graduates to see themselves as builders of the nation, urging them to engage actively with opportunities, develop their skills, embrace lifelong learning and consider public service as a platform for national contribution. “You can build from where you are, with what you have,” he said. “You do not need to wait until you have amassed wealth or influence before contributing to nation-building. Start now.”

He than congratulated the graduating students and thanked the management of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, for the invitation to deliver the Convocation Lecture.

Those in attendance were the Niger State Governor, Farmer Mohammed Umaru Bago, who was represented by the Niger State Commissioner of Information, Mr Obet Nana; Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology (FUT) Minna, Prof. Abdallah Adamu Kuta; former VC FUT Minna, Muftau Akanji; Senator Peter Nda Alkali, representing Niger South Senatorial Zone; the Director General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), Malam Jibrin Baba Ndace; former Minister of Sports, Alhaji Sani Ndanusa, amongst other dignitaries.