By Dare Balogun, 31st January, 2026
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The Honourable Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has urged Nigerian youths to seize the opportunities created by ongoing national reforms, describing them as critical pathways for personal growth and nation-building.
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.”
Speaking to graduating students, the Minister 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. “Nigeria, like the rest of Africa, happens to be a very youthful country, with half of our population under the age of 20, and three-quarters under the age of 35,” he said. “With the right education, skilling, and preparation for the rapidly transforming workspaces of the 21st century, Nigeria will be an unstoppable global force.”
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.”
Highlighting 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.
In his closing remarks, the Minister 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.”
The Minister 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 representative of the Governor of Niger state, Mr Obet Nana, who is also the Commissioner of Information; Vice Chancelor 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; a former Minister of Sports, Alhaji Sani Ndanusa, amongst other dignitaries.
