The Open Government Partnership (OGP), in collaboration with the Lugard Youth Development and Empowerment Initiative, has strengthened youth participation in governance in Kogi State with the induction of 20 youth-led organisations into its thematic areas.
The initiative is designed to deepen inclusivity, transparency, and accountability by giving young people a more active role in policy formulation, implementation, and monitoring within the state’s governance framework.
The onboarding ceremony, held in Lokoja, also featured the unveiling of the Kogi State Youth Sector Budget Analysis 2025 (Second Edition), drawing participation from key stakeholders across government and civil society.
Speaking at the event, Kogi OGP Co-Chair, Idris Ozovehe Muraina, said integrating youths into the OGP State Action Plan is critical, given their demographic strength and influence.
He noted that meaningful youth engagement is essential for promoting transparency, accountability, innovation, and citizen participation in governance.
Executive Director of LYDEI, Okwutepa Aminu Oseni, described the initiative as a shift from rhetoric to action, stressing that young people—who make up over 60 per cent of Nigeria’s population—must play a central role in shaping governance outcomes.
According to him, the inclusion of youth groups across key thematic areas such as fiscal transparency, service delivery, extractive transparency, and access to information would significantly strengthen democratic accountability.
Also speaking, Chairman of the Kogi NGOs Network, Hamza Aliyu, emphasised the importance of structured collaboration between government and citizens. He called for a more strategic approach to resource allocation for youth development, highlighting the need for effective budgeting, policy utilisation, and capacity building.
Head of the OGP Secretariat in the state, E.O. Bayode, urged the newly onboarded organisations to engage with commitment and collaboration to maximise their impact on governance processes.
Representing the Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Monday Anyebe, a ministry director, Abubakar Abdullahi, acknowledged youth unemployment as a major challenge but assured that government efforts are ongoing to expand opportunities.
Similarly, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Timothy Ojomah, represented by Oyekunle Agbana, highlighted initiatives aimed at engaging youths in agriculture, including training in soilless farming and support for agricultural tools fabrication.
Observers say the move signals a deliberate effort to institutionalise youth participation in governance, positioning them not just as beneficiaries, but as active contributors to policy and development in Kogi State.