Nigeria is still experiencing several conflicts in different parts of the country, largely linked to ethnic and religious tensions. These include the Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East region and the herder–farmer crisis in the North-Central region.
These conflicts have claimed many lives and led to the destruction of property across the affected regions. In response, the government and other peace advocates have introduced various peace initiatives aimed at promoting religious tolerance and unity in these areas.
In communities where fear, displacement, and insecurity have disrupted daily life, a new generation of peacebuilders is rising. These are young Nigerians choosing dialogue over division and hope over violence.
Across conflict-affected and underserved regions of the country, these youth are proving that peace is not imposed from the top but built from within communities.
This growing movement was brought to national attention during Youth4YouthAfrica’s 2025 National Week of Impact, a youth-led peace and development mobilization that reached over 30,000 Nigerians across 18 states.
At the heart of the initiative were 220 trained Peace Ambassadors, who were young people equipped to translate global peace frameworks into local action, particularly in areas recovering from insurgency, communal violence, and systemic exclusion.
The training conducted virtually aimed to reach as many youth as possible, especially those from conflict-prone areas within the regions.
According to Fatima Adam, Founder and Executive Director of Youth4YouthAfrica and a Peace Ambassador, the initiative demonstrates the transformative power of youth leadership in fragile contexts.
“Young Africans, when trained, trusted, and supported, create transformation at scale,” Adam said. “Our ambassadors go into communities that institutions often struggle to reach, and they do so with empathy, strategy, and deep knowledge of local needs.”
Peacebuilding in the Midst of Insecurity
Held from 17 to 24 November 2025, the National Week of Impact focused on four Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Quality Education (SDG 4), Gender Equality (SDG 5), Climate Action (SDG 13), and Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions (SDG 16). Among these, peacebuilding emerged as a central pillar, especially in conflict-affected states such as Borno, Taraba, Niger, Kaduna, and Edo.
Organizing peace interventions in these regions was far from straightforward. Insecurity and restricted movement limited access to some communities, while trauma shaped how openly participants could engage. Schools and learning centers in post-conflict areas operated under tight schedules and heightened caution, requiring careful coordination. Language barriers, weak infrastructure, and limited timeframes further tested implementation.
Discussing peace and justice in fragile environments also demanded sensitivity. Conversations often surfaced painful personal experiences of violence, displacement, and loss. Yet, despite these constraints, the programme succeeded largely because it was led by young people who understood the realities on the ground.
Through peer-to-peer facilitation, local languages, and community trust, Youth4YouthAfrica’s Peace Ambassadors created safe, inclusive spaces for dialogue. These spaces allowed students and women, many of whom had never participated in civic discussions to speak openly about their experiences and aspirations.
Turning Peace into a Lived Responsibility
Rather than treating peace as an abstract concept, the ambassadors reframed it as a daily, personal responsibility. Across multiple states, young people were engaged through dialogue-based sessions, creative expression, spoken word performances, analogical games, and community discussions centered on SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions.
In Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State and a city deeply affected by insurgency, students openly discussed how violence had disrupted their education and family lives. These conversations culminated in collective pledges to reject violence, support one another, and promote coexistence within their schools and neighborhoods.
Rather than responding to insecurity with fear or silence, participants were encouraged to see themselves as active peacebuilders capable of shaping safer, more inclusive environments.
In total, the programme reached over 1,000 young people directly through peace education, fostering empathy, dialogue, and a renewed commitment to nonviolence, according to the organizer.
Schools as Gateways for Peace
For many Peace Ambassadors, schools became critical entry points for peacebuilding. Magaji Abu Hannafi Ibrahim, a Peace Ambassador from Niger State in Nigeria’s North- Central region, described the response from educators and students as overwhelmingly positive.
“The response was nothing short of positive,” Ibrahim said. “The teachers were highly cooperative in organising students for the activities. They also made sure that the environment was conducive enough, which at the first instant signalled acceptance of the initiative.”
He noted that while peace and justice are not part of the regular school curriculum, students showed strong interest in the sessions. “By statistics, 70% were attentive and understood the message being passed while there was about a 15–20% curiosity level to know more,” he explained.
School authorities, Ibrahim added, welcomed the initiative and expressed a desire for its continuity. “The schools I visited asked that I visit them again because they lack awareness of sorts and that it is going to help develop their students better.”
Reflecting on his experience, he identified a significant gap in public understanding of peace and justice. “I never knew there was as much vacuum to be filled when it comes to the awareness of SDG 16,” he said, calling for sustained, youth-led awareness programmes that place young people at the forefront of peace advocacy.
Youth Speaking to Youth
In Jigawa State, North- West Region, Peace Ambassador Fatima Nuhu emphasized how her identity as a young person helped break down barriers and build trust.
“Because I am young, students and other young people felt free to talk to me and share their thoughts,” she said. “I did not approach them like an authority figure but as someone who understands their situation.”
Her training enabled her to listen actively, encourage participation, and create safe spaces, especially for those affected by insecurity or social exclusion.
Addressing the lack of guidance and positive engagement among young people in her community, Nuhu used education and dialogue to connect learning, personal growth, and peaceful coexistence.
“After the National Week of Impact, I noticed that students were more open, more confident, and more willing to talk and listen to each other,” she said. To sustain the impact, she plans follow-up visits, mentorship, and continued youth-led activities to keep peace conversations alive.
Ethical Leadership and Community Trust
For Muhammad Ibrahim, another Youth4YouthAfrica Peace Ambassador from Adamawa State North Eastern Region, a region affected by Boko Haram insurgency, the most impactful lesson from the programme was ethical leadership combined with inclusive community engagement.
“This skill enabled me to lead with integrity, impartiality, and empathy while engaging people from diverse tribes, religions, and ethnic backgrounds,” he said.
He linked community concerns directly to SDG 16, encouraging dialogue and collective problem-solving as tools for conflict prevention. Despite facing fear, mistrust, and limited participation due to past violence and displacement, he worked closely with school authorities and local gatekeepers to build trust.
“Through active listening and respectful communication, I created safe spaces for open discussion. This approach strengthened trust, reduced tensions, and empowered community members to take ownership of peacebuilding initiatives,” he added.
Beyond Physical Spaces
In addition to on-ground activities, Youth4YouthAfrica amplified peace messages through digital advocacy. Peace Ambassadors produced awareness videos that collectively recorded over 25,000 online views, extending the reach of the National Week of Impact beyond physical communities.
According to founder, this blend of grassroots engagement and digital storytelling demonstrates that impactful peacebuilding does not require massive budgets.
“What matters is strategy, training, and genuine youth ownership,” she said. “When young people lead, communities notice and they respond.”
Building the Future of Peace
With the 2025 cohort now joining Youth4YouthAfrica’s growing alumni network, the organization is preparing to expand its peacebuilding efforts in 2026. Plans include deeper engagement in conflict-affected regions, stronger regional partnerships, and sustained interventions addressing climate threats, poverty, and gender inequality.
As Nigeria continues to navigate complex security and social challenges, the message emerging from the National Week of Impact is clear: young people are not waiting for peace to arrive, they are actively creating it.
Keywords: Nigeria, youth, peace-building, conflict resolution, community engagement
Mohammed Ibrahim
Mohammed is a multimedia freelance journalist in Kaduna State, Nigeria. He graduated from the International Institute of Journalism Abuja. In 2016 Mohammed received the Courage in Journalism Award for his investigative reporting, from the Africa Media Development Foundation.