By Ehis Agbon | 17 December 2025
The Kaduna State Government has formally inaugurated a Technical Working Group (TWG) to accelerate the implementation of the Kaduna State Demographic Dividend Roadmap 2024, marking a significant milestone in the state’s effort to deliberately invest in youth development and long-term socio-economic growth.
The inauguration took place at a stakeholders’ meeting convened by the Ministry of Youth Development, bringing together government officials, development partners, civil society organisations, youth groups and the media.
Speaking at the event, the Honourable Commissioner for Youth Development, Barrister Gloria Ibrahim, described the inauguration as a critical transition from policy formulation to coordinated implementation.
“Today’s meeting marks the formal inauguration of the Technical Working Group for the Kaduna State Demographic Dividend Roadmap,” the Commissioner said. “Let me sincerely appreciate our partners, including the LAFIYA Programme, and all stakeholders whose voices, expertise and commitment have brought us to this point. We have come a long way, and your contributions reflect the strength of partnership and collaboration.”
She noted that the newly inaugurated Technical Working Group will play a pivotal role in translating the roadmap into measurable outcomes for young people across the state, stressing that the Ministry remains fully committed to supporting the process.
“Together, we will build a state where every young person is equipped, empowered and encouraged to contribute meaningfully to society, shaping a brighter future for generations to come,” she added.
Partners Laud Kaduna’s Leadership
Delivering a goodwill message on behalf of the LAFIYA Programme Chanan Solomon, State Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Coordinator for Lafiya–FCDO Kaduna, commended Kaduna State for emerging as a national reference point in advancing the Demographic Dividend agenda.
The representative said the partnership with the Ministry of Youth Development has already yielded tangible results within a short period, attributing the progress to the Ministry’s openness, commitment and willingness to collaborate.
“Our goal was to see measurable achievements before the end of the year, and I am glad to say that clear evidence of progress and success has already been recorded,” the LAFIYA representative said. “From our experience across several states where LAFIYA is implementing similar initiatives, Kaduna State currently stands out in terms of progress.”
The partner also highlighted the need to institutionalise the Demographic Dividend Roadmap, warning that shifting funding priorities and policy changes could threaten sustainability if structures are not firmly embedded within government.
“This is why we have proposed the establishment of a dedicated structure to sustain the roadmap,” the representative explained. “Institutionalisation is key to ensuring continuity beyond donor funding.”
Special commendation was given to Civic Impact for Sustainable Development Foundation, particularly its Executive Director, Yusuf Ishaku Goje, for what was described as a major intellectual contribution to the successes recorded so far.
The media, especially ProcyonRTV, was also acknowledged for documenting the entire process. “Without documentation, progress is incomplete,” the representative noted.
Students, Youth Agenda ‘Inseparable’ – SSA
Also speaking at the event, the Amina Sani Bello, Special Senior Assistant (SSA) to the Governor on Student Matters, assured stakeholders of high-level government backing for the initiative, describing the Demographic Dividend agenda as central to Kaduna’s development vision.
“Youth and students are inseparable. Students are youth, and youth are students,” the SSA said. “This initiative concerns all of us and will positively affect our collective future.”
She commended the Honourable Commissioner for her leadership and described Kaduna as a pace-setting state whose policies are often replicated elsewhere.
The SSA pledged to brief Governor Uba Sani fully on the outcomes of the meeting and expressed confidence that the Governor would lend his full support, particularly given his strong record in the education sector.
“With this level of commitment, I am confident that this programme will not only meet expectations but surpass them,” she said.
Historic Milestone
The Executive Director, Civic Impact for Sustainable Development Foundation, Yusuf Ishaku Goje, while commending the Government, Ministry and Partners said “today, a historic milestone has been achieved in Kaduna State with the establishment and inauguration of a Multi-Stakeholder Implementation and Accountability Mechanism on Accelerating Implementation of the Kaduna State Demographic Dividend Roadmap (2024). Kaduna State emerges as a subnational leader in deliberate Demographic Dividend Roadmap implementation.
This significant step, led by the Honorable Commissioner, Ministry of Youth Development, will ensure wider stakeholder buy-in and ownership, particularly among the youth, driving the implementation of the Roadmap.
‘Kaduna Template’ for Other States
In his appreciation and closing remarks, Al-Amin Murtala Dabo, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youth Development, formally accepted the mandate on behalf of the Technical Working Group and assured stakeholders of diligence and accountability.
“This is not our first engagement on the Demographic Dividend Roadmap. We have come a long way, and Kaduna State is already a reference point,” he said. “Other states look up to us and often replicate what we do.”
He stressed that the government expects results, noting that Kaduna’s governance culture does not tolerate mediocrity.
“We must rise to the challenge and do the right thing. I am optimistic that states currently lagging behind will eventually come to Kaduna State to learn from our model,” he added, describing the roadmap as a potential ‘Kaduna template’ for the rest of the country.
The Permanent Secretary thanked all partners, civil society groups and participants for their commitment and formally declared the programme closed, wishing attendees a safe journey back to their destinations.
A Shift from Policy to Action
With the inauguration of the Technical Working Group, Kaduna State has moved decisively from policy design to structured implementation of its Demographic Dividend Roadmap. Stakeholders at the meeting expressed optimism that the multi-stakeholder framework—combining government leadership, civil society oversight, development partner support and media accountability—will help translate the roadmap from paper into measurable impact for young people across the state.
