ABUJA – The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has called for increased investment in systems and programmes that will unlock the potential of the region’s youth.
“But there is hope — and that hope lies in these very same young people. YOU!
Through the ECOWAS Youth and Sports Development Centre (EYSDC), ECOWAS has made it a mission to transform that hope into tangible outcomes.
“Over the years, we have, amongst many other achievements: trained and empowered thousands of young people across 15 member states through academic, leadership, entrepreneurship, mentorship and peacebuilding programmes.
“We have launched and implemented the ECOWAS Volunteers Programme, deploying hundreds of skilled young West Africans to support post-conflict recovery and development, healthcare, education, and governance across the region.
“We have supported dozens of youth-led startups through our innovation and entrepreneurship incubators, our international partnership engagements and our integrated agriculture capacity building programme, with many beneficiaries now providing jobs and solutions within their communities, ” he said
Njoaguani said that ECOWAS had worked with partners and stakeholders to promote sports as a tool for peace and regional development, organised regional tournaments that build unity and social cohesion among young people.
He said that the commission believe that when young people are empowered with the right tools, policies, and platforms, they do not just participate in development, they lead it.
According to him, that is why the focus areas of the 2025 AYC conference, from building resilient infrastructure and fostering innovation, to promoting peace and security — are not just aspirational goals, but also urgent imperatives.
He said that young people must be at the center of every solution that Africa countries pursue, adding that their voices must shape the continent policies, and their talents must build the industries.
Reports that the conference was also used as an opportunity to unveil the “African Youths Leadership Center (AYLC).
Mr David Nwokorie, the convener of the conference gave a brief introduction about AYLC saying that the center is more than just institution, but a movement, a beacon of hope, and a call to action.
Nwokorie said that the AYLC is rooted in the spirit of intercultural collaboration between Africa and Europe, and that AYLC is a creative think tank, a research hub dedicated to advancing dialogue and fostering partnership among scholars, policymakers and others.
He said that emergence of leaders was critical to our collective future, governance, peace building, diplomacy, mediation, policymaking, conflict resolution, and dialogue.
“Our motto, “Where excellence meets imagination,” speaks to the center’s mission to nurture not only competent but visionary leaders equipped to navigate the complexities of the 21st century.
“Our mission is clear: to establish AYLC as a leading educational and research institution that inspires a passion for knowledge among young African and European leaders.
“AYLC was born from a pressing need highlighted during the third Africa youth conference in Abuja, where it became painfully evident that political apathy, disinterest, ignorance, and lack of civic education among youths continue to widen the leadership gap across Nigeria, ” he said. (NAN)
