Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu has warned that Nigeria risks deepening brain drain, institutional decline, and economic inefficiencies if deliberate efforts are not made to equip young people with leadership capacity.
He gave the warning on Monday at the State House Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja, during the 2026 National Dialogue on Leadership organised by the Office of the Vice President in collaboration with the Lateef Jakande Leadership Academy.
The summit, themed “Scaling Excellence: Youth Leadership as Strategic Infrastructure for National Transformation,” brought together government officials, youth leaders, development experts, and private sector stakeholders to examine the role of young people in governance.
As contained in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Gboyega Akosile, the governor said Lagos State has consistently treated leadership development as “strategic infrastructure,” stressing that investments in physical projects must be matched with deliberate investment in people.
“In Lagos, we invest billions in infrastructure, but equally important is our investment in human capital. Without competent, ethical, and visionary leaders, every road we build will deteriorate and every institution will atrophy,” Sanwo-Olu said.
He warned that failure to prepare young Nigerians for leadership roles would create long-term governance gaps, weaken institutions, and drive skilled talents out of the country in search of better opportunities.
According to him, leadership development must be intentional, structured, and sustained to prevent a cycle of decline that could prove more costly to reverse. Sanwo-Olu also highlighted the role of the Lateef Jakande Leadership Academy as a platform designed to nurture future leaders through mentorship, policy exposure, and practical governance experience.
Earlier, Vice President Kashim Shettima called for the institutionalisation of a structured leadership pipeline, stressing that youth leadership should go beyond symbolic inclusion to a deliberate national strategy.
“What is required is a forward-looking architecture of leadership development, one that prepares young people not only to function within existing systems, but also to improve them,” Shettima said.
He cautioned that preparing young Nigerians with outdated frameworks would undermine the nation’s future, adding that leadership must be built on discipline, ethical clarity, and intellectual rigour.
Minister of Youth Development Ayodele Olawande also underscored the need for a structured and consistent approach to youth leadership development across the country.
The event was attended by members of the Lagos State Executive Council, senior civil servants led by the Head of Service, Mr. Bode Agoro, heads of federal agencies, business leaders, academics, and civil society representatives.
Executive Secretary of the Lateef Jakande Leadership Academy, Mrs. Ayisat Agbaje-Okunade, said the dialogue aimed to address challenges hindering the transition of young people into leadership
positions.
She noted that leadership is a continuous process that requires exposure, mentorship, accountability, and real-world experience.
“Leadership is not learned only in classrooms; it is learned in systems,” she said.
Participants at the summit agreed on the need for stronger institutional frameworks to deliberately nurture youth leadership as a foundation for sustainable national development.