Vice President Kashim Shettima will open the 2025 National Children Leadership Conference (NCLC), a continent-wide youth forum designed to nurture Africa’s next generation of digitally skilled and socially responsible leaders.
The event, organised by the Children of Africa Leadership and Values Development Initiative (CALDEV), will take place in Abuja and bring together more than 400 young participants from Nigeria, Zambia, Gambia, Uganda, and Ghana.
Speaking at a news conference on Monday, CALDEV founder and Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts, Bamidele Salam, said the conference’s theme — “The Role of Children in Nation Building: Digitally Smart, Socially Responsible” — underscores the importance of technology, ethics, and leadership in shaping Africa’s future.
Salam, represented by conference consultant Dr Chibuzor Okereke, said the week-long programme would feature digital skills workshops, leadership training, public speaking challenges, and a Children’s Parliamentary Session. The initiative will also mark Universal Children’s Day on 20 November.
Founded in 2015, CALDEV has trained and mentored more than 1,000 children across Nigeria, empowering them to lead social impact projects in their communities. “Our mission is to raise a generation of digitally empowered, socially conscious, and ethically grounded young Africans,” Salam said.
Among the dignitaries expected are First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, House Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, and Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke.
The 2025 NCLC is positioned as one of Africa’s leading youth development gatherings, promoting collaboration, innovation, and shared values among the continent’s emerging leaders.
