The Nigeria Solidarity Support Fund (NSSF) has launched its WeNaija Campaign 5.0, the fifth edition of its national youth campaign, scheduled to run from Sept. 8 to Nov. 8 under the theme “Own Your Choice”.
Managing Director of NSSF, Dr Fejiro Chinye-Nwoko, said the 2025 campaign would focus on Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH), particularly the risks of incomplete or abstinence-only sex education.
She explained that the initiative aimed at equipping young Nigerians with the facts, tools and confidence to make safe and informed choices.
“Nigeria’s young people deserve accurate, judgment-free information about their bodies, rights and health options. WeNaija 5.0 is about moving beyond silence and stigma to evidence, empathy and empowerment, so that the next generation can truly own their choices and their future,” Chinye-Nwoko said.
She noted that past editions of WeNaija had spotlighted urgent health issues, including COVID-19, HPV vaccination and drug abuse, by mobilising youths to create audio and visual storytelling that sparked public dialogue and action.
According to her, the 2025 edition will reframe SRH as both a health and youth-empowerment imperative.
Highlighting the urgency, she stated that gaps in SRH education had fuelled harmful outcomes such as high rates of adolescent pregnancy, unsafe abortions, and greater risks of sexually transmitted infections including HIV, worsened by stigma and misinformation.
She added that Nigeria’s unmet need for family planning remained significant, with adolescent contraceptive use low and youth-friendly services often difficult to access.
“These realities underline the urgency of centering comprehensive, age-appropriate SRH that covers sexual maturity, consent, the benefits of abstinence and safer-sex practices, access to services, and mental-emotional well-being,” she said.
Chinye-Nwoko explained that participants in the competition, aged between 18 and 35, would be required to create two-to-three-minute videos explaining SRH and why comprehensive education should matter.
She said the videos should also show how incomplete education had affected young people medically, psychologically, socially or economically, while sharing youth-led ideas on delivering SRH education that would be practical, respectful and helpful.
According to her, interested participants should register via www.nigeriasolidarityfund.ng.
She announced that the WeNaija YouthFest and winners would be showcased on Dec. 6.
(NAN)