Seyi Tinubu Urges Nigerian Youths to Demand Seats at Decision-Making Tables

Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Tinubu, has urged young Nigerians to take an active role in shaping the country’s future, saying they must demand opportunities to participate in important decisions rather than leave the responsibility to older leaders.

He made the call on Monday at his 41st birthday colloquium in Lagos, themed “Shaping the Future Together”. The event brought together political leaders, government officials, business executives, traditional rulers and youth advocates to discuss leadership, enterprise, youth participation and national development.

Seyi said young Nigerians should prepare for leadership by learning from experienced leaders, studying policy choices and contributing practical ideas to governance. He argued that older leaders should create room for younger people to participate while helping them develop the skills needed to take on greater responsibilities.

“Experience must make room at the table for the younger collaborators, while ambitious new leaders must use that experience to prepare themselves for responsibilities,” he said.

He also urged young people to recognise that decisions made by current leaders would shape the economy and opportunities available to future generations. According to him, young Nigerians must participate directly in governance rather than expect to inherit a country that meets their expectations without contributing to its development.

Seyi advised young people who gain access to decision-making spaces to take their responsibilities seriously. He urged them to study policy documents, understand Nigeria’s history, examine available choices and ask difficult questions, even when doing so could challenge members of their own political groups. He also addressed members of the City Boy Movement and other support groups, saying political access should help develop capable people who could earn the trust of their communities.

During the event, he defended the economic reforms introduced by his father’s administration, including petrol subsidy removal, foreign exchange changes and tax reforms. He argued that the measures were intended to support long-term prosperity, while acknowledging that households had faced immediate difficulties. “Changes have not been easy. Families whose budgets have been stretched, the pain was immediate, the lasting improvement more difficult to feel and touch, yet they are no less real,” he said.

He maintained that investment in infrastructure, power, mining, manufacturing and agriculture could create opportunities for future generations. Supporting the administration’s reform agenda, he said Nigeria could not continue consuming resources that should be invested in development while expecting young people to prosper.

The colloquium featured Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, former African Development Bank president Akinwumi Adesina, Lagos Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat and the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade I. Adesina delivered the keynote address, while discussions focused on youth inclusion, leadership, enterprise and Africa’s development prospects. Seyi concluded by describing young Nigerians as a major force in the country’s creativity and enterprise and urged them to seek meaningful opportunities to contribute to national development.