The federal government has launched ‘FutureNow’, a podcast designed to give Nigerian children and adolescents a space to share their experiences and contribute to national discourse.
Speaking on Friday at an intergenerational dialogue with adolescent girls in Abuja, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, minister of women affairs and social development, said the initiative would amplify the voices of young Nigerians.
The event, themed ‘Her Voice, Her Power’, was organised as part of activities marking the 2026 Children’s Day celebration.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim said the government aims to tackle child exclusion by expanding opportunities through inclusion, digital literacy, social protection, and family-strengthening programmes.
She said the podcast would create an avenue for children to tell their stories and influence conversations on national development.
“This initiative will serve as an inclusive space where Nigerian boys and girls can articulate their realities, share their stories, and shape national discourse in their own authentic voices,” NAN quoted the minister as saying.
She added that investments in children should go beyond physical safety to include psychosocial wellbeing, emotional resilience, and character development.
“We recognise that when we deliberately listen to children, when we give them space, trust, and dignity of expression, we nurture confidence, identity, and agency,” she said.
Joshua Anar, director of programme operations at Save the Children Nigeria, called for deliberate actions to ensure that no child is excluded, irrespective of gender, disability, background, or location.
“Save the Children remains committed to supporting efforts that promote accountability, inclusion, and meaningful child participation across Nigeria,” Anar said.
Ritarilla Barick of SOS Children’s Villages Nigeria called for stronger policies and systems to create opportunities for vulnerable girls.
“What this moment calls for is deliberate, rights-based investment in the protective systems, community structures, and enabling environments,” she said.
“This will give every child, regardless of the circumstances of her birth, an equal claim to her own future.”
Muriel Mafico, country representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), highlighted the importance of creating safe spaces and opportunities for children to thrive.
The event featured interactive sessions involving children and adolescent girls, as well as panel discussions with members of the Nigerian Children’s Parliament, among other activities.
