Young people may come from different backgrounds and circumstances, but many share common aspirations: to succeed, become independent, access meaningful opportunities and build a better future. These shared aspirations were at the heart of this year’s International Youth Day celebration, themed “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations.” The seminar, organised by the United Nations Association of Nigeria (UNAN) and the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), provided an opportunity to reflect on the realities young people face, the risks they encounter, and the importance of creating opportunities that allow them to thrive.
During the seminar, our representative and Communications Lead, Anne Bassey highlighted some of the dangers young people face, particularly sexual exploitation and drug abuse. She noted that young people’s constant desire to “make it” can sometimes become a point of vulnerability that traffickers exploit. In the search for employment, financial stability or a better life, young people may be drawn to opportunities that appear to offer a quick path to success. This can also connect to what she described as “Japa Syndrome”, the desire to leave the country in search of better opportunities, which can sometimes make young people more susceptible to deceptive offers.
Anne encouraged young people to pay attention to red flags when considering opportunities. Job offers that seem too good to be true, false scholarship opportunities, modelling gigs, and individuals asking children to keep secrets from their parents were highlighted as situations that should raise concern. The message was not to discourage young people from pursuing opportunities, but to encourage caution and discernment while doing so. When the desire to succeed is met with deception, what appears to be an opportunity can instead become a pathway to trafficking and sexual exploitation.
The seminar also drew attention to the dangers of drug abuse among young people. Substances including Tramadol, Codeine, Heroin and Cannabis were mentioned in the discussion, alongside concerns about drug use beginning at increasingly young ages. The speakers also discussed how continued substance use can become increasingly costly as tolerance develops. These concerns highlight the importance of early education, prevention and support for young people who may be vulnerable to substance abuse.
However, the conversation was not only about the dangers young people face. A significant part of the seminar focused on what can be done to empower them. Other speakers emphasised the importance of embracing young people’s ideas, providing them with proper education and creating genuine opportunities for growth and development. Young people need to be allowed to participate in conversations that affect them and to contribute their ideas towards solving the challenges within their communities.
This is particularly important because empowerment can also be a form of prevention. When young people have access to quality education, meaningful opportunities and legitimate ways to pursue their ambitions, they are better positioned to make informed decisions and less likely to have to depend on deceptive offers that promise quick success. Rather than simply telling young people to avoid dangerous situations, communities must also ask whether they are providing young people with safe alternatives.
This approach closely reflects the work of Freedom Foundation, which supports vulnerable individuals through rehabilitation, education, empowerment and reintegration. Through Genesis House, the Foundation supports women and girls who have experienced sexual abuse, trafficking and exploitation, providing a safe environment where they can begin rebuilding their lives. Its rehabilitation work also addresses substance abuse, while its education and empowerment initiatives create opportunities for vulnerable individuals to develop skills and work towards greater independence.
The International Youth Day seminar was therefore a reminder that protecting young people and empowering them must go hand in hand. Their desire to succeed should not become a vulnerability for exploitation. It should be met with education, opportunity, support and spaces where their voices and ideas are valued.
Different young people may live in different contexts, but their aspirations can be remarkably similar. Creating a future where those aspirations can be pursued safely requires more than awareness of the dangers young people face. It requires a collective commitment to listen to young people, invest in them and create genuine opportunities for them to make it, without having to risk their safety in the process.
By Okpala Naomi