BY JULIET EKWENUGO
Kaduna
The Youth Advocacy Coalition on Demographic Dividend has secured renewed commitment from the Kaduna State Bureau of Statistics to fast-track the implementation of the Kaduna State Demographic Dividend Roadmap (DDR), following an advocacy visit to the Statistician General and Chief Executive Officer of the Bureau, Dr Bukar Baba.
The visit, which took place on November 20, 2025, aimed at securing the Bureau’s partnership and support in driving the roadmap designed to maximise the socio-economic potential of Kaduna’s youthful population.
Leading the engagement, Dr Baba welcomed representatives of the coalition drawn from the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) Kaduna, Open Government Partnership (OGP) Technical Working Group on Participatory Budgeting, Youth Assembly of Nigeria (YAN), Open Gov Youth Innovation Hub, Kaduna Local Government Accountability Mechanism (KADLGAM) and Civic Impact for Sustainable Development Foundation.
The coalition commended the Bureau for its pivotal role in the development of the Demographic Dividends Report and Roadmap, describing its contribution as critical to evidence-based planning and youth-centred development in the state.
Among its key requests, the coalition urged the Bureau to facilitate the commitment of the Deputy Governor towards establishing a coordination mechanism for DDR implementation, with the Ministry of Youth Development serving as the secretariat.
It also called for a strategic partnership between the Bureau and the Ministry to accelerate the drafting of a clear implementation plan and a robust monitoring and evaluation framework, supported by development partners.
In his response, Dr Baba expressed strong enthusiasm for the initiative and reaffirmed the Bureau’s readiness to support the full implementation of the DDR framework.
He assured the coalition of the Ministry’s commitment to working closely with all stakeholders to achieve the roadmap’s objectives, noting that coordinated data-driven interventions remain central to sustainable development.
The Statistician General further pledged to champion the DDR initiative, adding that the Bureau would collaborate with the coalition to set up a monitoring committee to ensure effective oversight of the implementation process. He also disclosed plans to engage relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), as well as development partners, to mobilise broad-based support for the programme.
In a show of appreciation, the coalition thanked the leadership of the Kaduna State Bureau of Statistics for its warm reception and unwavering support, describing the engagement as a significant step towards institutionalising youth-focused policy execution in the state.
The coalition resolved to maintain close collaboration with the Bureau to ensure the successful rollout of the DDR framework, while the Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to providing technical guidance and strategic direction throughout the process.
They expressed optimism that the sustained partnership would translate into meaningful socio-economic opportunities for young people across Kaduna State.
The communiqué was jointly signed by Christopher Atsen, State Coordinator of YALI Kaduna; Seth Luke, Co-chair of the OGP Technical Working Group on Participatory Budgeting Process; Hassan John, Speaker of the Youth Assembly of Nigeria (YAN), Kaduna; and Patience Fredrick, Member of the Open Gov Youth Innovation Hub.
