Vice President Kashim Shettima, at the Abuja Dialogue 2026, convened by the Office of the Vice President and Lagos State's Lateef Jakande Leadership Academy, advocated for a deliberate and forward-looking framework for youth leadership development. He stated that it is the backbone of sustainable progress.

He warned that the country's status as one of the world's youngest nations would count for nothing without deliberate institutional investment to match its demographic scale.

The Vice President said the country’s demographic profile must no longer be treated as a rhetorical point in public discourse, but as a strategic reality requiring policy attention at the highest levels of governance.

Shettima stressed that the future of Nigeria would depend not merely on the abundance of its natural resources or the ambition of government programmes, but on the systems built to sustain leadership continuity and national development.

VP Shettima described the Abuja Dialogue as an important national platform for reflection at a time when governments around the world are being forced to respond more precisely to rapid changes in technology, economics and public expectations.

According to him, leadership in the present age cannot be casual or accidental, but must be cultivated through structured pathways that prepare young people for responsibility.

The Vice President noted that this new framework must go beyond slogans and applause to reshape the design of education, public service, enterprise and civic institutions

He further emphasised the need for gradual pathways through which young Nigerians can assume responsibility, arguing that leadership matures through practice and accountability.

The VP commended the Lateef Jakande Leadership Academy and Lagos State Governor, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, for convening the Dialogue, describing it as a significant contribution to the national conversation on leadership renewal and long-term development.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State thanked the Vice President's willingness to host the Dialogue, noting that it sends a powerful signal to every state government, every development partner, and every young Nigerian that the Federal Government recognizes the strategic importance of youth leadership development.

He explained that at the heart of the Lagos leadership ecosystem is the Lateef Jakande Leadership Academy, LJLA, a cornerstone institution named after one of Lagos’s most transformative leaders.

Governor Sanwo-Olu said the Academy is not merely a fellowship but a talent incubator where young Nigerians receive real public sector immersion, cross-sector learning, policy exposure, mentorship from seasoned leaders, and the opportunity to execute capstone projects that address real societal challenges.

The Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, said the significance of the dialogue lies in its focus on youth development, preparing them for leadership with knowledge, discipline and enthusiasm.

In a goodwill message, the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, said the timing of the dialogue was apt, noting that Nigerian youths are prepared, ready and committed to playing their roles in the advancement and development of the country.

The Executive Secretary of the Lateef Jakande Leadership Academy, Ayisat Agbaje-Okunade, praised the partnership between the Federal Government and the Lagos State Government in placing the youth at the centre of national conversation about their interests and well-being.