UN Urges Nigerian Youth to Move Beyond Talk, Take Action for Peace

The United Nations has challenged young Nigerians to move beyond demands for inclusion and take concrete action to prevent conflict, build social cohesion and shape the peace they want to see in their communities.

The call came as the United Nations Resident Coordinator’s Office in Nigeria convened a high-level youth dialogue in Abuja, bringing together young peacebuilders, civil society actors and experienced practitioners to confront one of the most urgent questions facing Nigeria: how to harness the energy, creativity and influence of young people to build a more peaceful society.

The dialogue, organised by the Peace and Development Unit of the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office, was held at the UN House on Wednesday, under the theme: “Hear Us. Act Now for a Peaceful World.”

At the centre of the meeting was a powerful message: young people must not remain spectators in the struggle for peace.

Opening the event, the Peace and Development Adviser in the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office, Ms. Grace Kpohazoude, reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to amplifying youth voices and creating platforms for meaningful intergenerational dialogue.

But beyond the speeches and calls for inclusion, the discussions placed the responsibility for peacebuilding directly before the young people themselves — urging them to translate their concerns into volunteerism, advocacy, grassroots mobilisation and direct community action.

The meeting featured contributions from Dr. Joseph Ochogwu of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution; Rev. John Joseph Hayab of the Global Peace Foundation Nigeria; Dr. Emmanuel Nkanta of the National Peace Committee; and Dr. Arome Salifu of the Africa Youth Growth Foundation.

The speakers examined the role of young people in leadership, conflict prevention, community engagement and the building of resilient societies.

They stressed that peace cannot be sustained by government institutions alone, warning that the foundations of lasting peace are built daily in communities through integrity, ethical leadership, dialogue, service and accountability.

The dialogue comes against the backdrop of persistent security and social challenges across Nigeria, where conflict, violent extremism, banditry, communal tensions, displacement, poverty and social exclusion continue to threaten the stability and development of many communities.

In several parts of the country, young people are often among those most affected by conflict. They also constitute a significant part of the population that can either be vulnerable to recruitment into violent networks or become a powerful force for prevention, reconciliation and community resilience.

It is this reality that has increasingly pushed the United Nations and other international partners to advocate a shift in the way young people are viewed — from potential victims or perpetrators of conflict to active partners in peacebuilding.

The UN’s global Youth, Peace and Security agenda, anchored on Security Council Resolution 2250 adopted in 2015, recognises the positive role of young people in preventing and resolving conflicts and sustaining peace.

The framework is built around five key pillars: participation, protection, prevention, partnerships, and disengagement and reintegration.

Subsequent UN Security Council resolutions have further strengthened the call for the meaningful participation of young people in peace processes and decision-making.

In Nigeria, the UN has supported peacebuilding initiatives that demonstrate the potential of youth-led and community-based action. In parts of the North-West, for instance, youth have been integrated into early warning and early response mechanisms designed to identify and address potential conflicts before they escalate.

The initiatives underscore a growing recognition that peace cannot be imposed from the top down. It must be built from the grassroots, with the people who understand the realities of their communities playing a central role.

At the Abuja Peace Circle, participants were urged to recognise that peacebuilding is not a one-off event or a slogan to be repeated during international commemorations.

Rather, the panelists described it as a long-term process requiring patience, consistency and sustained engagement.

During the interactive session, participants explored ways to strengthen grassroots peacebuilding, expand collaboration among stakeholders and promote accountability and transparency in leadership.

The discussions also focused on the need to bridge the gap between young people and institutions, with participants calling for platforms where youth can not only speak but also influence decisions and participate in implementing solutions.

The speakers maintained that dialogue remains one of the most effective tools for addressing divisions, building trust and preventing conflicts from escalating.

They also emphasised that leadership without integrity could undermine peace efforts, while societies that fail to promote inclusion risk creating the grievances that often fuel instability.

The most significant challenge emerging from the dialogue was how to move the youth peace agenda from declarations to implementation.

Participants agreed that young people must be empowered to become active contributors through community service, advocacy, mentorship, conflict mediation and civic engagement.

They also called for greater investment in youth-led peacebuilding initiatives and stronger partnerships among government agencies, civil society organisations, faith-based groups, academic institutions and development partners.

At the end of the meeting, participants recommended that the Peace Circle be institutionalised as a recurring platform for sustained intergenerational dialogue.

They also proposed the creation of a WhatsApp community to maintain engagement beyond the meeting, stronger mentorship opportunities for emerging peacebuilders and deeper collaboration among institutions working on peace, security and development.

The recommendations reflect a broader concern that young people are often invited to discussions about peace but are not always given the resources, access or decision-making power required to drive change.

For the participants, the message from Abuja was clear: youth inclusion must go beyond listening to young people. It must involve trusting them, investing in them and giving them the space to lead.

The meeting ended with a shared commitment that lasting peace would require collective action and inclusive leadership.

For a country where young people are at the centre of both the challenges and opportunities shaping its future, the Peace Circle delivered a message that could no longer be ignored: Nigeria’s peace will not be built for its youth without its youth.