Abuja: The Yargote Foundation for Children, Youth and Women Development is seeking partnership with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) to promote the ‘Empower the Boy Child Summit 2026’ and its advocacy activities. The summit with the theme ‘The Boy Child Emergency: Investing in Boys, Securing Our Future’ will hold on Nov. 19 at the Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the partnership aims at using NAN’s extensive news network to raise awareness on the development and wellbeing of boys, drawing greater public attention to the need for proper grooming and support. During a courtesy visit to the NAN headquarters in Abuja, Patron of the foundation, Malam Murtala Aliyu, expressed concerns that the boy child is increasingly left without necessary guidance and support for adulthood.
Aliyu noted that while significant attention is given to preparing the girl child, the gap in grooming boys is becoming a concern. He emphasized the need for grooming boys to develop confidence and empathy to ensure stable homes and responsible adulthood. He highlighted the struggles to protect the boy child as parallel to those for the girl child.
NAN reports that the Yargote Foundation’s mission is to nurture and empower children, youth, and women through advocacy, education, life skills, mentorship, and community engagement. Aliyu further stated that boy child support is a flagship project, with boys being selected and trained to become ambassadors in their schools and communities.
The foundation is seeking broader support to make the initiative a sustained national program beyond the efforts of a single organization. Mrs. Anna Hussaini-Pai, the Founder and CEO of the foundation, explained that many men face pressures to provide for their families due to inadequate preparation for adulthood responsibilities.
Hussaini-Pai emphasized the summit’s focus on boys aged 10 to 19 to guide and prepare them for future responsibilities. She noted that gaps in grooming have left many men unable to handle pressures, affecting societal well-being. The foundation previously held summit editions in 2024 and 2025, and the 2026 edition aims to gather stakeholders for increased awareness.
NAN’s support would amplify the summit’s message, reaching more Nigerians. Responding to the foundation’s initiative, NAN’s Managing Director, Malam Ali Muhammad Ali, commended the focus on the boy child, linking it to nation building, security, and sustainable development.
Ali stressed the importance of family to societal stability, highlighting the consequences of unprepared boys leading to broken homes. He pledged NAN’s partnership, offering news coverage and interviews to support the initiative, ensuring visibility and coverage of the summit and related activities. The managing director assured that NAN would support the summit at no cost, committed to the ideals promoted by the foundation.