Abuja: Young Nigerians from civil society organisations have called for far-reaching constitutional reforms and greater youth inclusion in governance. The call was made during a dialogue organised by the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Nigeria’s Open Minds Young Voices Network (OMYV), ahead of the National Assembly’s 2025 nationwide public hearings on constitutional amendments.
According to Voice of Nigeria, participants, including academics, legal practitioners, civil society advocates, and policy analysts, gathered in Abuja for a forum tagged ‘Generation Rewrite: A Youth Dialogue on Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution Amendment and the Path Forward.’ The dialogue provided a platform for stakeholders to exchange ideas on constitutional reforms that would strengthen democratic governance, promote inclusivity, and better reflect the aspirations of young Nigerians.
Welcoming the attendees, FES Nigeria Programme Manager, Juliana Anosike, explained that the dialogue aimed to educate young people on the constitution’s history, assess the impact of past amendments, and connect youth with experts and policymakers. Anosike said, “It is a good thing that we are all sitting around the table to discuss constitutional reforms and the process. When you engage-whether in political parties or informal discussions-you can contribute from a place of knowledge and speak with confidence.” She urged Nigerian youths to seize the moment and lend their voices to the constitutional review, saying FES would continue collaborating with young people to foster an inclusive society.
Presenting an overview of the reform landscape, Victor Terhemba of the Women and Youth for Nigeria Alliance (WAY4NIGERIA) stressed the need for a modern constitution that reflects present realities and places citizens at the centre of governance. “This gathering is important because we understand the issues on the ground and can intervene with our own perspective. As we continue to amend the constitution, we must ensure it is people-oriented, people-centred, and inclusive,” Terhemba said.
A panel discussion capped the event, tackling critical themes such as state and local government autonomy, state police, fiscal federalism and resource control, judicial and gender reforms, and electoral reforms. A key outcome will be a youth-led communiqu© outlining reform priorities for submission to the National Assembly.