Bauchi Marks World Population Day, Calls for Greater Investment in Youth

By Uzairu Dauda Bunga:

Deliberate investment in human capital has been described as the surest path to achieving the aspirations of young people in Nigeria.

The Bauchi State Commissioner for Budget, Economic Planning and Multilateral Coordination, Hajiya Amina Mohammed Katagum, made the assertion during the commemoration of the 2026 World Population Day, organised by the Ministry of Budget, Economic Planning and Multilateral Coordination in collaboration with United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) at the Sir Ahmadu Bello International Conference Centre (ICC), Bauchi, on Saturday.

The event, themed “Realizing the Hopes and Aspirations of Young People Today and for the Future,” brought together government officials, development partners, academics, youth representatives and other stakeholders to discuss strategies for empowering Nigeria’s growing youth population.

Hajiya Katagum urged young people to embrace education, hard work, innovation, integrity and patriotism while rejecting violence, criminality, drug abuse and other social vices that threaten their future.

She also called on governments and development partners to mainstream population dynamics into policy formulation and budget planning to create opportunities for every child and raise resilient, productive young people.

Presenting the 2026 World Population Day Statement, the Bauchi State Programme Officer of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Mrs Deborah Tabara, said available evidence shows that although many young people have dreams and aspirations, millions still lack the opportunities to realise them.

She expressed concern over the economic challenges facing Nigerian youths, noting that access to education, housing, healthcare and decent employment remains limited for many.

According to her, today’s world offers enormous opportunities if young people are given the freedom and support to make informed choices about their lives and future.

Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Budget, Economic Planning and Multilateral Coordination, Alhaji Ibrahim Ahmad Rufa’i, said World Population Day serves as a reminder of the importance of addressing population issues and renewing government’s commitment to investing in young people.

He described youths as valuable assets whose contributions are essential to national development and appreciated the continued support of the UNFPA in Bauchi State.

Also speaking, the Bauchi State Director of the National Population Commission (NPC), Mohammed Isa, urged the state government to increase investment in youth education and skills development to help young people achieve their aspirations.

He reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to providing reliable population data for effective planning and implementation of development policies and programmes.

Delivering a presentation on the theme, the Head of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Sa’adu Zungur University, Dr Jamilu Yahaya, said the global population has reached about 8.3 billion, while Nigeria’s estimated population in 2026 stands at 242,431,832, with youths accounting for about 51 per cent of the population.

He noted that Bauchi State’s rapidly growing population presents both opportunities and challenges, stressing the need for greater investment in quality education, healthcare, adolescent and reproductive health services, decent jobs, digital innovation, entrepreneurship and startup financing.

Dr Yahaya also identified drug abuse, unemployment and poverty as major obstacles confronting young people.

Citing data from the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), he said more than 530,000 youths are affected by drug abuse, while many others continue to depend solely on white-collar job opportunities.

In separate goodwill messages, representatives of various ministries and organisations echoed the need for greater investment in young people.

The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Child Development, Dr Lydia Haruna Tsammani, said building resilient youths begins with empowering women and strengthening families.

She commended the UNFPA for supporting Bauchi State’s development efforts.

Representing thel Commissioner for Health and Social Welfare, Muhammadu Umar said the ministry remains committed to improving adolescent and youth health, maternal and child healthcare as well as reproductive health services.

The representative of the Ministry of Youth Development, the Acting Director Planning Alhaji Bello Aminu urged young people to take ownership of public facilities and government programmes aimed at promoting community development.

On her part the Director General of the Bauchi State Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Mrs Lydia John Shehu, observed that the state’s population has grown significantly from about four million in 2006 to an estimated eight to nine million in 2026.

She said the rapid population growth underscores the need for strategic planning, innovation and creativity to ensure sustainable development.

Other speakers, including representatives of the Nigeria Police Force, persons with disabilities, students and youth groups, stressed the importance of inclusive policies, quality education, healthcare and equal opportunities to enable young people realise their full potential.

The event concluded with a collective call on government, development partners and the private sector to increase investment in education, healthcare, employment and entrepreneurship as critical steps towards securing a prosperous future for Nigeria’s growing youth population.