Youth Policy Challenge Crowns 2026 Winners at University of Ibadan

Folalumi Alaran in Abuja

The Future Pathways Development Initiative (FPDI) has announced Team SMETrust as the winner of its 2026 Policy Challenge, with the team receiving a N2 million grand prize for its proposal to rebuild trust in Nigeria’s tax system.

Team Astrum emerged first runner-up and received N1 million for its proposal on reforms in the electricity sector, while Team Nikao came second runner-up with N750,000 for its proposal on addressing the gap between the motto and realities of the Nigeria Police Force.

The winners were announced yesterday at the second edition of the Policy Conference for Youth held at the KAAF Auditorium, University of Ibadan, Oyo State.

About 300 delegates attended the conference, themed “Rebuilding Trust in the Nigerian State,” which featured policy debates, a legislative simulation and discussions on governance reforms.

The three finalist teams were selected from 322 submissions and 1,371 expressions of interest received from young Nigerians across 33 states.

Founder and Executive Director of FPDI, Ayokunnu Ojeniyi, said the competition was designed to help young Nigerians channel their concerns about governance into practical policy solutions.

“We are angry but we have not been able to channel this anger meaningfully to the people in government. The Policy Challenge exists to change that,” he said.

Ojeniyi added that getting policy right was critical to achieving a better system, noting that the young participants were already contributing to that process.

The conference featured a keynote address by the Founder of the African Governance Institute for Development, Hon. Seyi Adisa, who challenged participants to rethink the relationship between citizens and government.

Adisa said government performance alone was not enough to build public trust, stressing the need for fairness, integrity, identity, communication and honesty in governance.

The programme also featured a panel discussion on rebuilding trust in Nigerian institutions, a fireside chat on institutional trust, and a Model National Assembly session in which delegates participated in a simulated legislative process.

Executive Director of FPDI, Arinola Daniel, said the participation of young Nigerians from 33 states demonstrated growing interest in policy and governance.

“Policy defines power, and leadership shapes how that power is used,” Daniel said, adding that the participation of youths in researching, writing and defending reform proposals represented a move away from political apathy.

The organisers said all three winning teams would also be given opportunities for paid policy internships and continued engagement with policy practitioners and governance reform professionals.

The 2026 edition was moved from Abuja, where the inaugural conference was held in 2025, to the University of Ibadan as part of FPDI’s effort to take national policy conversations beyond the Federal Capital Territory.

FPDI said the 2026 Policy Challenge Compendium, containing selected proposals from the competition, would be distributed to government officials, development partners and media organisations.

The organisation said preparations for the 2027 edition of the Policy Conference for Youth had commenced.