BOCA Energy Resources Ltd has called for greater investment in education, skills and opportunities for young people, saying businesses and governments should treat youths as partners in development rather than leaders waiting for the future.
The call came in a message by the company’s Chairman and Chief Executive, James Ukachukwu, to mark International Youth Day on 12 August 2026.
The United Nations has designated this year’s theme as “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations”, focusing on the shared demands of young people for education, decent work, a voice in decisions affecting them and better opportunities.
Ukachukwu said young people were already contributing to innovation, entrepreneurship, technology and economic development.
“On this International Youth Day, we celebrate the energy, creativity, resilience and determination of young people across the world.
The future does not simply belong to the youth; it is being created by them every day through their ideas, courage and capacity to innovate.”
He said youth development required more than annual celebrations and statements.
“We must move beyond speaking about young people as leaders of tomorrow and recognise them as partners in building the world of today.
Every young person deserves access to knowledge, opportunity, mentorship and an environment where talent can flourish.”
Why the call matters
The challenge for Nigeria is not simply whether young people have ambition.
It is whether the economy and public institutions can provide enough opportunities for them to turn that ambition into sustainable livelihoods.
A World Bank human capital assessment published in February found that deficits in education, health and workplace skills were reducing Nigeria’s future earning potential.
It said existing human-capital gaps were equivalent to 111% of future earnings.
The bank also found that Nigeria's education pillar score remained below the median for lower-middle-income countries, while only 11.3% of Nigerians completed tertiary education in the latest figures cited in the assessment.
That makes calls for skills development significant, but it also raises a question for companies making such commitments: what practical programmes, funding and measurable outcomes will follow the statements?
BOCA Energy Resources did not announce a new youth employment scheme, scholarship programme or specific funding commitment in its International Youth Day message.
Instead, the company said businesses had a role in creating opportunities for skills acquisition, employment, entrepreneurship and professional development.
‘Believe in your potential’
Ukachukwu also urged young people to invest in learning and personal development.
“To every young person, I say: believe in your potential, acquire knowledge, develop your skills and never allow temporary setbacks to define your future.
Success is built through discipline, resilience, character and the courage to keep moving forward.”
The message reflects a wider international policy shift towards treating young people as active participants in development.
The UN says more than 1.2 billion people aged 15 to 24 live globally and describes young people as important partners in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
International Youth Day has been observed annually on 12 August since 2000.
The UN General Assembly endorsed the observance in 1999 after a recommendation from the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth.
The UN's 2026 youth discussions have also stressed that participation should lead to concrete policy outcomes rather than remain at the level of consultation.
At the 2026 ECOSOC Youth Forum, the UN said youth engagement should be “systematic, sustained and tied directly to global policy outcomes”.
What happens next?
For young Nigerians, the impact of International Youth Day will ultimately depend less on goodwill messages and more on access to quality education, relevant skills, decent jobs, finance and opportunities to participate in decision-making.
BOCA Energy Resources said it remained committed to youth empowerment and sustainable development, but its latest statement did not set out specific targets or timelines for delivering those commitments.
The company may therefore face the same test confronting governments and other private-sector organisations: whether promises to empower young people translate into measurable opportunities.
For now, BOCA's message has added its voice to the global International Youth Day campaign.
The more important measure will be what concrete action follows.
