By Chinedu Echianu
The National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies has launched the maiden edition of “Build and Secure the Future Today Initiative” (BSFT), a youth-focused leadership and civic education programme aimed at preparing primary and secondary school students for future roles in governance, nation-building, and democratic participation.
The initiative was unveiled in Abuja on Monday as part of activities commemorating the 2026 Children’s Day celebration, with participation from students, education stakeholders, development partners, and government officials.
Speaking at the event on behalf of the Director-General of NILDS, Professor Abubakar Suleiman, the Director of Legal Services at the Institute, Shuaibu Danwanka, described the programme as “a strategic investment in the future of the nation.”
According to the DG, the future of Nigeria depends largely on how effectively young people are prepared to become responsible citizens, visionary leaders, and active contributors to democratic governance and national development.
He said NILDS, as the research and capacity development institute of the National Assembly, remains committed to strengthening democratic institutions, promoting inclusive governance, and building informed and responsible citizenship through youth engagement, civic education, leadership development, gender inclusion, and democratic participation.
“The Build and Secure the Future Today initiative was conceived as a forward-looking platform to nurture the next generation of leaders by exposing young people to the values, skills, and knowledge required for effective leadership and nation-building,” he stated.
The DG noted that the initiative seeks to cultivate confidence, discipline, patriotism, communication skills, critical thinking, and civic consciousness among secondary school students across the country.
“At a time when societies across the world are confronted with complex social, economic, and governance challenges, it has become increasingly important to deliberately prepare young people to become solution providers rather than passive observers,” he added.
He further stressed that children must be equipped not only with academic knowledge, but also with ethical values, emotional intelligence, leadership capacity, and the courage to contribute positively to national development.
Professor Suleiman also commended the collaboration between NILDS, UN Women, PLAN International, and the FCT Secondary Education Board in making the initiative a reality.
Addressing the students, he encouraged them to actively participate in the programme, saying their ideas, voices, and dreams matter to the future of Nigeria.
“As we commemorate the 2026 Children’s Day, let us renew our collective commitment to protecting the rights of children, promoting access to quality education, encouraging leadership development, and creating opportunities that allow every Nigerian child to thrive regardless of background or circumstance,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, the Head of Gender and Inclusivity Unit at NILDS, Emily Ikhide, said the initiative was born out of the need to address Nigeria’s long-standing governance and developmental challenges by investing in children and young people early enough.
Ikhide said Africa’s greatest strength lies in its youthful population, stressing that Nigeria must intentionally build the capacities of young people if it hopes to secure a better future.
“When we look at the students, we know there is hope for Nigeria,” she said. “If we want to solve the problems of corruption, inclusion, and underdevelopment, we need to go back to the family, primary schools, and secondary schools.”
She explained that the initiative aims to move beyond theoretical learning by exposing students to practical leadership experiences and helping them understand governance processes from an early stage.
According to her, the programme seeks to create a sustainable leadership pipeline that would nurture students into youth leaders and eventually provide a pool of trained young Nigerians for future leadership appointments and national service.
“We want to infuse in them the passion to lead. We want to guide them, train them, and create a sustainable path,” she said.
Ikhide also emphasized the importance of inclusivity, noting that men, women, boys, girls, and persons living with disabilities all have critical roles to play in national development.
She called on stakeholders, development partners, schools, and citizens to invest more resources in children and youth development.
“If you have resources to invest in this country today, invest most of it in primary and secondary school students,” she said. “If we train and sustain positive values in young people, the impact will multiply across generations.”
In a goodwill message, the FCT Secondary Education Board represented by Comrade Buka commended NILDS and its partners for introducing what it described as a timely and commendable initiative focused on leadership, civic responsibility, nation-building, and life skills development.
The Board noted that the future of the country depends on the opportunities, mentorship, and guidance provided to children today, adding that programmes such as BSFT would help students develop confidence, leadership abilities, public speaking skills, discipline, and positive values necessary for peaceful coexistence and national growth.
The Board also encouraged participating students to take full advantage of the programme by learning, interacting, and building meaningful relationships that would positively shape their future.
Highlights of the occasion was the unveiling of BSFT by Rekiya Atta, Aide to the DG of NILDS on National Assembly Liaison, technical sessions and group photographs of participating schools and dignitaries at the event.
The Build and Secure the Future Today Initiative is expected to become an annual programme, with organisers expressing hope that it will evolve into a sustainable national platform for leadership training and civic engagement for young Nigerians.
