SPARKLE LAUNCHES THE FIRST NIGERIA NATIONAL YOUTH INDEX
… Advocates equipping youths with necessary tools and support systems to thrive…
The “Strengthening Programming for Adolescents and Youths through Resource and Knowledge Generation and Link to Evidence” (SPARKLE) Project launched the first Nigeria National Youth Index (NNYI) to address a critical gap in monitoring youth development parameters in the country at Sparklyn Hotel in Port Harcourt on Friday, 11th October, 2024.
The development of the NNYI was initiated and led by the SPARKLE project of the University of Medical Sciences, Ondo, with funding from the Ford Foundation. The NNYI is a policy-driven, practical and cost-effective approach to measuring and monitoring various dimensions of youth development in Nigeria using available secondary data sets. According to the Project Coordinator, Dr. Olorunfemi Ogundele “The development of the first NNYI and its associated reports is the result of the collaborative efforts of several stakeholders within the youth development space in Nigeria, including academic institutions and researchers, federal- and state-level government agencies, civil society organisations, youth themselves, and international development agencies”.
He added that “the NNYI offers an analysis of youth development in some of the critical areas specified in Nigeria’s National Youth Policy, including education, employment, health and well-being, as well as gender and social inclusion”. Ogundele, in his presentation of the Nigeria National Youth Index, explained further that “by providing an overview of the state of youth in Nigeria, this report seeks to illuminate the path towards ensuring periodic and objective monitoring of youth development in Nigeria and to serve as a basis for advocating evidence-informed advocacy for more targeted and effective youth development interventions”.
While explaining the significance of the National Youth Index at the launching, the Project Director and Vice-Chancellor, University of Medical Sciences, Ondo, Professor Adesegun Fatusi submitted that “our nation’s young people are not just beneficiaries of development; they are active participants in shaping the future. It is, therefore, imperative that we equip them with the necessary tools, opportunities, and support systems to thrive in an increasingly complex world. The insights from the Nigeria National Youth Index will guide stakeholders in identifying gaps, leveraging strengths, and ensuring that no young person is left behind in our pursuit of national growth and prosperity”.
The event also witnessed the unveiling of the logo for the 4th Nigeria Conference on Adolescent and Young People’s Health and Development being organised by the Society for Adolescent and Young People’s Health in Nigeria (SAYPHIN). The conference tagged “Garden City 2025” is scheduled to hold in Port-Harcourt in August 2025. The Chairman, Local Organising Committee of the conference, Professor Omosivie Maduka, who is also the Director, Centre for Health and Development, University of Port-Harcourt revealed the theme of the conference to be “The Evolving Adolescent and Youth in a Digital Age: Building Resilient Young People in a Changing World”.
SPARKLE Project Team
UNIMED, Ondo.
11th October, 2024