President Bola Tinubu has urged young Nigerians to resist the growing wave of emigration and instead commit themselves to building the country’s future.
Speaking during his Democracy Day address on Friday, the President appealed directly to the nation’s youth, saying Nigeria needs their talent, creativity and energy to overcome its challenges and achieve lasting prosperity.
“To our young people: Nigeria is your home and your future. Build here, code here, work here and vote here. Every great nation was built by those who stayed to solve problems, not by those who abandoned ship,” Tinubu said.
His remarks come at a time when many young Nigerians continue to seek opportunities abroad through the popular “japa” movement, driven largely by economic hardship, unemployment and concerns about the country’s future.
The trend has been particularly noticeable among professionals in sectors such as technology, healthcare and academia.
The President acknowledged the need for democracy to deliver meaningful improvements in people’s lives, stressing that economic progress must be felt by ordinary citizens.
“Democracy must be felt in the pocket,” he said.
Tinubu highlighted several government programmes aimed at creating opportunities and improving livelihoods, including the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, the National Agricultural Development Fund’s plan to deploy 10,000 tractors over the next five years, and efforts to support more than 1,000 small and medium-sized businesses with export certification.
He also challenged Nigerians to see nation-building as the defining task of the current generation.
“Every generation has a defining responsibility. The generation of our founding fathers secured independence. The generation of June 12 secured democracy. Our generation must secure prosperity,” the President stated.
Tinubu’s message forms part of his administration’s broader effort to encourage confidence in the country’s future amid ongoing economic reforms and calls for greater youth participation in national development.
