United nations summit
The Kaduna Youth Empowerment Foundation's (KYEF) recent accreditation with UN DESA positioned us to strategically engage at the highest levels. Our decision to actively participate in the Private Sector Forum at the Second World Summit for Social Development in Doha was a direct, deliberate, and vital step in translating global dialogue into tangible local opportunity for the youth of Kaduna State. This report outlines the critical importance of this engagement. Why the Private Sector Forum Was a Non-Negotiable Priority While government commitments are essential, sustainable social development and job creation are ultimately driven by investment, innovation, and enterprise. The Private Sector Forum was the epicenter of this dynamic. For KYEF, attending was crucial for the following reasons: To Bridge the Critical Gap Between Youth and Opportunity: Our core mission is to connect Kaduna’s talented youth to meaningful economic pathways. The Forum provided unparalleled, direct access to: · Global and African Investors: Facilitating first-hand conversations about the investment landscape in Northern Nigeria and the potential of our youth-led ventures. · Corporate Leaders and CEOs: Understanding the evolving skill demands of the 21st-century global workplace and advocating for inclusive hiring and supply chain practices that can benefit our region. · Social Entrepreneurs and Innovators: Learning from scalable, market-driven models for solving social problems—from agri-tech to fintech—that are directly relevant to Kaduna’s challenges. To Move Beyond Aid to Investment and Partnership: Our participation signaled a fundamental shift in our strategy and narrative. We were not in Doha solely as advocates for support, but as convincers of investment and brokers of partnership. We engaged the private sector to: · Promote Kaduna as a Destination for Social Impact Investment: Highlighting our state’s youthful demographic dividend, improving business environment, and specific opportunities in agriculture, renewable energy, and digital services. · Foster Skills-to-Job Pipelines: Initiating dialogues with multinationals and large regional corporations on designing tailored vocational training and internship programs that align with their needs, creating a direct pipeline from our training centers to quality employment. · Explore Public-Private-Youth Partnerships (PPYP): Introducing the concept of tripartite models where KYEF mobilizes and prepares youth, the government provides enabling policies, and the private sector provides capital, mentorship, and market access. To Gain Market Intelligence and Future-Proof Our Programs: The Forum served as a powerful sensor for global economic trends. Our team gained critical insights on: · Emerging Sectors: Identifying growth industries where Kaduna youth can be competitively trained. · The Future of Work: Understanding the rising importance of digital literacy, green skills, and soft skills from those shaping the global economy. · Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Priorities: Learning how major corporations are directing their social investment, allowing KYEF to design programs that align with these strategic priorities for greater partnership potential. To Amplify a New Narrative on Kaduna’s Youth: On a global stage often preoccupied with challenges, we seized the opportunity to reframe the conversation. We presented: · Kaduna’s Youth as an Asset, Not a Risk: Emphasizing their innovation, resilience, and readiness to engage as productive partners. · Success Stories: Showcasing examples of young entrepreneurs from our programs who are already driving local solutions. · A Call for Collaborative Action: Positioning KYEF as the capable, accredited, on-the-ground partner for any private sector entity seeking authentic and impactful engagement in Northern Nigeria. Conclusion: From Doha to Kaduna – The Path Forward Our attendance at the Private Sector Forum was an essential investment in KYEF’s strategic future. It has equipped us with contacts, insights, and a new language of engagement with the economic engines of development. The immediate next steps include: · Formal follow-ups with specific companies and investors met in Doha. · Integrating the gathered market intelligence into a revision of our vocational training curriculum. · Developing targeted partnership proposals for corporate collaboration. · Reporting back to the Kaduna State Government on concrete leads for private sector-led job creation.