The European Union (EU) has explained that its main interest in Nigeria is to help in building a stable, united, prosperous, and sustainable future.
It made this revelation at the inauguration of the second cohort of the Youth Sounding Board (YSB) Nigeria, comprising 25 young people drawn from across the country.
Through the YSB Nigeria, the European Union provides a platform for young people to have an influence on the policies and programmes by the EU Delegation in Nigeria.
In his remarks, the European Union Ambassador-designate to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, explained that through the programme, the EU hopes to enable active engagement and exchanges between young people and decision-makers.
He further stated that the YSB has been advising the EU Delegation on youth participation and empowerment across a broad range of topics, such as employment, education, environment and climate change, human rights and democracy, peace and security, digitalisation, technology, gender, and social inclusion.
He said: “Sometimes, the EU is asked what its interest, purpose, and objective are in cooperating with Nigeria. Our main interest is to help this country build a stable, united, prosperous, and sustainable future. This is also in our interest.
“Young people are the future. Now, there is a stronger inter-generational gap. This is because society has changed, technology has changed, and there are, perhaps, more differences between how young people are living their formative years compared to older generations,” he said.
Mignot further noted that the YSB was created to influence the EU Delegation’s interventions and its impact on local communities across Nigeria. “Only young people know what other young people expect, need, and yearn for. That is why the voice of young people is so important,” he added.
Speaking about the expectations for the new cohort of the YSB, he said, “Today, we welcome another group of 25 remarkable young Nigerians who remind us of the vast potential inherent within this country. The selection process started in May 2024. We received over 3,000 applications from young people across Nigeria. It was a very selective process, and we conducted three rounds of selection to identify the 25 individuals who now form this second cohort.
“Each of these 25 young people has a strong passion for youth inclusion and I am very hopeful that over the course of their tenure as members of the Youth Sounding Board, they will build on the results achieved by the first cohort and make their own mark in ensuring that the European Union’s interventions are increasingly youth-inclusive.”
Iswat Badmus, a youth development and engagement expert and a member of the pioneer cohort of the YSB Nigeria, said, “Being a YSB member has been eye-opening for me because, through my work as a Youth and Policy Advisor with the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, I was able to understand the workings of the EU in Nigeria and also understand the struggles of young people in Nigeria when it comes to getting their voices heard and participating in decision-making processes.
“So far, my key contribution as a YSB member is amplifying the voices of young people—that is, acting as an intermediary between young people and the EU. I let the EU know what young people clamour for and how they can fully protect their interests when it comes to projects, policies, and programmes.
“To the incoming YSB members, I say congratulations to you. One key piece of advice I will give is to come in with huge energy, fresh perspectives, and innovations, and work as a team. Your team spirit is what will help you move forward and faster.”
