The Federal Government has restated its commitment to open governance, accountability, and youth inclusion under the Open Government Partnership (OGP).
Minister of Youth Development and Global OGP Co-Chair, Ayodele Olawande, gave the assurance during a dinner with civil society organisations and the OGP Secretariat in Abuja.
Olawande noted that instilling strong values, value-driven leadership, and civic consciousness in young Nigerians was essential to building a stronger and more united nation. He stated that the Bola Tinubu administration was driving reforms that actively accommodate youth participation.
“We can only make reforms if we look at the future, not the present. And we are excited to build on the OGP framework to sustain and improve these reforms. We believe that young people have an important role to play in shaping the future of any country,” Olawande said.
He commended the government for embracing the OGP and acknowledged stakeholders for their ongoing support.
“I assure you that Nigeria is very ready to honour part of this global agreement. As a minister of youth, I am happy to see the connection between the development and the open borders,” he added.
Former Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Clem Agba, also spoke at the event, stressing that the OGP centres on transparency and stability. He highlighted the importance of adequate funding for the initiative.
“As a country, we cannot continue to depend on others to perform activities if truly we believe in co-creation,” Agba said, while commending President Tinubu for his leadership and reform efforts.
Chief Executive Officer of the OGP Global Support Unit, Aiden Eyakuze, praised civil society engagement through the platform as a vital link between government ministries and non-state actors.
“The role of the OGP Secretariat has been invaluable. Without their support, we would not have achieved the milestones we celebrate today. We must acknowledge and thank our elders and stakeholders whose wisdom continues to guide us,” Eyakuze stated.
Nigeria joined the OGP initiative in 2016 and has since pursued reform commitments across multiple thematic areas. Each member country is expected to co-create its National Action Plans (NAPs) in equal partnership with civil society organisations.
Nigeria’s OGP commitments include fiscal transparency, extractive industry transparency, access to information, anti-corruption efforts, and improved public service delivery. The country has developed NAPs outlining specific commitments and reform activities toward achieving open governance.
(NAN)
