Bagudu: Skilled youth key to Nigeria’s $1tn economy

Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, said Nigeria can achieve a $1 trillion economy by 2030—but only if the country equips its fast-growing youth population with the skills and mindset needed to drive future growth.

Speaking at the 10th anniversary of the I Am Change (IAC) Organisation in Abuja, Bagudu said Nigeria’s demographic surge places it among a select group of countries with the potential for extraordinary expansion.

He noted that over eight million births were recorded last year—almost equal to China’s annual population increase—positioning Nigeria to become one of the world’s largest labour and consumer markets.

Bagudu urged young people to see this population boom as a strategic opportunity requiring discipline, innovation and shared responsibility.

“The choices we make today will determine whether we reach the $1 trillion milestone,” he said.

He commended IAC for fostering civic consciousness and revealed that the government is mapping poverty and conflict drivers in all 8,809 wards to remove barriers to productivity.

Former INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, also emphasised the need to empower youths, warning that Nigeria risks undermining its future by neglecting education, employment and political inclusion.

He said many young people are being recruited negatively into politics or becoming disengaged altogether, with dire implications for national development.

IAC Executive Director Hafsatu Shinkafi cautioned that Nigeria may “waste an entire generation” if it fails to harness youth creativity.

Highlighting IAC’s decade-long work, from leadership academies to civic-action initiatives, she said the organisation has shown that young Nigerians are vital nation-builders.

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