By Folarin Kehinde
The Chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC), Dr. Aminu Yusuf, has warned that Nigeria may fail to reap the benefits of its youthful population unless governments and other stakeholders significantly increase investments in education, healthcare, skills development, employment and youth empowerment.
Yusuf gave the warning at the national commemoration of the 2026 World Population Day in Abuja, stressing that the country’s demographic advantage could become a burden if not properly managed.
Speaking on the theme, “Realizing the Hopes and Aspirations of Young People Today and for the Future,” the NPC chairman said Nigeria’s estimated population of over 238 million, with about 70 per cent below the age of 30, presents enormous opportunities for economic growth but also significant risks if young people are not adequately supported.
“A demographic dividend is not created by numbers alone. It is created when a country makes the right investments and establishes the right policies to ensure that its population, particularly its growing working-age population, is healthy, educated, skilled, productive and economically engaged,” he said.
