Founder of the Abuja Youth Summit, Akolade Jimoh, has said the Abuja Youth Employability and Entrepreneurship Summit was conceived to tackle what he described as a critical gap in Nigeria’s labour market — access.

Jimoh said although Nigeria has a growing pool of educated, skilled and highly motivated young professionals, many lack direct access to employers and opportunities where their talents can be properly matched with industry needs.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, he noted that employers also struggle to identify and engage qualified candidates within the vast youth talent pool.

He said the Youth Employability Summit, also known as YES, would provide a structured platform to connect job-ready youths with forward-looking employers across various sectors.

According to him, bringing recruiters and young professionals into one space would encourage meaningful engagement, talent discovery and direct recruitment.

He explained that the summit aims to ensure employers gain access to competent and future-ready individuals, while young professionals secure visibility and clear pathways to sustainable careers.

Jimoh set a bold benchmark for the initiative, saying it would only be considered successful if at least 80 per cent of participating youths secure meaningful employment or receive concrete resource commitments to advance their entrepreneurial ideas.

He said the target underscores the summit’s core objective of converting skills, exposure and networking into measurable economic outcomes.

The summit convener urged young people seeking career growth and entrepreneurial opportunities to take advantage of the platform.

He also called on government institutions, corporate organisations and development partners to collaborate in expanding access to employment and strengthening Nigeria’s talent pipeline.

“Through collective effort, we can unlock the full potential of Nigeria’s youth and build a more resilient workforce,” he stated.