By: Femi Mustapha
A coalition of youth advocacy groups, including representatives from the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) Kaduna, the Open Government Partnership Technical Working Group on Participatory Budgeting, the Youth Assembly of Nigeria (YAN), the Open Government Youth Innovation Hub, the Kaduna Local Government Accountability Mechanism (KADLGAM), and the Civic Impact for Sustainable Development Foundation, recently visited the Kaduna State Bureau of Statistics. Their purpose was to seek partnership and support for the implementation of the Demographic Dividend Roadmap (DDR).
The advocacy meeting took place on November 20, 2025, at the office of the Statistician General.
Led by Statistician General Dr. Bukar Baba, the meeting was both cordial and productive, with the Bureau pledging its support for the initiative.
The coalition expressed appreciation for the Bureau’s leadership in developing the Demographic Dividends Report and Roadmap. They requested assistance in securing the commitment of the Deputy Governor to establish a coordination mechanism with the Ministry of Youth Development, which would act as the secretariat for the initiative.
Furthermore, they sought the Bureau’s collaboration with the Ministry of Youth Development to expedite the creation of an implementation plan and a monitoring and evaluation framework, with support from development partners.
Dr. Bukar Baba conveyed enthusiasm for the DDR initiative and affirmed the Bureau’s commitment to facilitating its implementation. He highlighted the Ministry’s eagerness to partner with the coalition in achieving the objectives of the DDR. He also agreed to advocate for the initiative, working closely with the coalition to ensure successful execution.
The Bureau committed to collaborating with the coalition to establish a monitoring committee that would oversee the implementation of the DDR framework, with the Ministry of Youth serving as the secretariat.
The coalition expressed its gratitude to the Statistician General and the leadership of the Kaduna State Bureau of Statistics for their warm reception and support for the DDR initiative.
The communiqué was signed by Christopher Atsen, State Coordinator of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) Kaduna; Seth Luke, Co-Chair of the Open Government Partnership Technical Working Group on Participatory Budgeting; Hassan John, Speaker of the Youth Assembly of Nigeria (YAN) Kaduna; and Patience Fredrick, Member of the Open Government Youth Innovation Hub.
The coalition is dedicated to working closely with the Bureau to ensure the successful implementation of the DDR framework, while the Ministry has pledged to provide technical support and guidance.
Additionally, the Statistician General has committed to reaching out to other relevant ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) and partners to garner further support for the DDR initiative.
