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As the world prepares to mark International Youth Day 2025, the Not Too Young To Perform (NTYTP) Leadership Development Advocacy has announced a sweeping national campaign to protect and empower Nigerian youth, with particular focus on the safety of the girl-child and young women.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Mikail Audu, the organisation called on federal, state, and local governments, as well as corporate and development partners, to actively embrace the global theme, “Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond,” alongside this year’s focus, “Youth Advancing Multilateral Cooperation Through Technology and Partnerships.”

NTYTP stressed that these themes must be transformed into practical measures that address Nigeria’s pressing security and development needs. It warned that the growing wave of abductions, exploitation, and killings targeting young women — often in public spaces such as hotels — poses a direct threat to the nation’s human capital.

To confront the crisis, NTYTP is launching a National Youth Safety and Security Summit in Abuja. The gathering will bring together top government officials, security agencies, youth leaders, academics, students, civil society, and development partners to address security awareness, digital safety, and risk management.

The initiative will then extend to all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, incorporating community-based campaigns, school outreach, and engagements with women’s groups and high-risk communities. Over a three-year period, 185 tertiary institutions nationwide will host safety clubs, and the NTYTP Safety and Security Handbook for the Girl-Child and Young Women will be distributed as a national reference tool.

Developed with contributions from security experts, survivors, community leaders, and young people, the handbook will provide youth-friendly guidance on personal, public, and online safety. It will be officially launched at a national dinner and awards ceremony honouring outstanding contributors to youth protection.

NTYTP urged stakeholders to join as strategic collaborators, offering endorsements, resources, expertise, and institutional support to ensure the initiative’s success.

“This summit is not just an event; it is the start of a lasting movement to safeguard the lives and aspirations of Nigerian youth,” Comrade Audu stated. “By acting together, we can create a safer, stronger, and more inclusive nation where every young person can reach their potential.”

International Youth Day is observed annually on August 12.