Executive Director of HipCity Innovation Centre, Bassey Bassey has called on both Federal and State governments to have young people in urban development planning and policy development.
He also called for the provision of access to early renters by providing grants and/or a system that ensures youth have access to decent and affordable housing in planned neighborhoods as well as access to public services to make life easy for them.
Bassey made the call at a commemorative event for International Youth Day 2025 themed: “An Evening with the Future: Youth, Urbanisation and Global Possibilities.”
The high-level dialogue forum brought together diplomatic missions, Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, FCT Department of Mass Housing, Urban and Regional Planning Department, Area Council Services Secretariat, other relevant government ministries, youth living in the FCT, and civil society organisations.
The forum, held in Abuja, saw significant participation from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), alongside diplomatic representatives from Mexico, Uganda, and other international partners, creating unprecedented dialogue opportunities for youth-centered urban development solutions.
The meeting was aimed at addressing the intersection of urbanisation challenges and youth development in Nigeria while exploring pathways to connect with global opportunities for learning and adoption.
Bassey said that for many Nigerian youths, city life that should be a gateway to opportunity, is now a daily negotiation for survival.
HipCity Innovation Centre at the event premiered a documentary https://youtu.be/1rcFzPupHYs that highlighted the challenges of access faced by young persons in Nigeria.
“Housing costs are so high that even a full year’s minimum wage cannot rent a decent home in a planned neighborhood. A situation that forces thousands into overcrowded, unplanned settlements — spaces that are vulnerable to eviction and demolition without warning. We claim to live in the city, but we are quick to say ‘I wan enter town’. Meaning young persons are Villagers in the city,” he said.
Bassey said that Nigeria’s public transportation is too often inadequate, unreliable, and unsafe.
“In Abuja, Mass transit buses run only on major routes, leaving young people to spend far more on commuting than they can afford, or to spend hours each day walking long distances.
He added: “The ‘city experience’ that should inspire creativity and connection is too often replaced with fatigue, anxiety, and disillusionment. The quality of life for urban youth is in decline, eroded by rising food prices, unsafe public spaces, and exclusion from the planning processes that shape the very streets youths live on.”
According to him, the prevailing challenges are mounting pressure on the mental health of young people.
“It is no wonder then that the ‘japa syndrome’ has become one of the defining narratives of our time. Young Nigerians are leaving — in droves — for what they believe will be safer, more dignified lives abroad. While migration is a human right, the scale and desperation fueling irregular migration reflects a deep failure at home,” added.
Director of Mass Housing, Mass Housing for the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Engr. Richard Dauda, commended the HipCity Innovation Centre for creating a platform that amplifies youth voices on urban challenges.
Represented by Florence Kazzah, Dauda reaffirmed FCDA’s commitment to developing inclusive and affordable housing solutions that meet the needs of all residents, particularly young people striving for independence.
Her message underscored the importance of collaboration between government, private sector, and civil society in building cities where everyone can thrive.
The Country Director of Heinrich Böll Stiftung (HBS) Nigeria, Sophie Knobel emphasised the creation of ‘open cities’ where the co-existence of different social groups and cultural diversity foster growth that is diverse, equitable, creative, sustainable and inclusive.
Knobel highlighted the need for inclusive development, affordable housing, streamlined governance, and participatory planning as key recommendations for Nigerian cities, particularly referencing HBS Nigeria’s work on transforming abandoned public buildings into more inclusive and affordable housing spaces for the youths and urban poor residents.
Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa emphasised the timeliness of rethinking urban growth patterns and youth inclusion.
He highlighted the construction of Renewed Hope Estates as one of government’s efforts to curb housing crisis in Nigeria.
According to him, the estates will be developed across the six geo-political zones.
The Mexican Deputy Head of Mission Jose Brisemo, presented his country’s comprehensive youth engagement framework, positioning youth participation as a cornerstone of crime prevention and urban development.
“When we actively engage young people, we effectively redirect them away from organised crime,” the Ambassador explained.
Minister Counselor, Ugandan High Commission, Abuja Dr. Omara Sam highlighted their distinctive cooperative financial model, where young people organise into registered groups of ten members, qualifying them for loan access up to $2,000 per group.
According to Sam, this microfinance approach enables youth-led entrepreneurship and community development.
The Ugandan delegation also presented their agricultural engagement strategy, where the government procures youth-produced agricultural products for export to regional markets including Malawi.
“This program incentivises young people to pursue agricultural ventures while guaranteeing market access for their products. Complementing these efforts, Uganda’s technical college system provides practical vocational training that equips youth with immediately applicable life skills,” the envoy added.
Other activities that took place on the day; was the session on “What It Means To be Young in the City” featuring two young Nigeria Mr. Lawrence Bitrus Garki – The Mandate Secretary of the Area Council Services Secretariats (the youngest mandate secretary in FCT) and Mrs. Rita Idehai – a social entrepreneur and Innovation, CEO of Ecobarter; both lady and gentleman spoke about their journey as young persons navigating the hurdles of city access and connections to get to their current levels in government and business.
Youth Voices Segment- Young persons polled their voices around some of the biggest challenges facing them as they navigate the cities.
The climax of the event was the KYC Game; where several youths took turns to play and test their knowledge of the city in which they live; it was very entertaining but also very enlightening and educative for many. Participants in the game won gifts items to appreciate them for participation but also for being interested in history and current affairs of the city.
We want to specially acknowledge the presence of our collaborative partners- The Nigerian Institute of Urban Planners, Young Planners Forum, Department of Urban and Regional Planning.
