IN what is expected to be one of the most significant youth mobilization events in northern Nigeria this year, prominent northern youth advocate Ummusalma Isiaka Rabiu, Jaruma Matar Kasar Hausa, has announced the upcoming Arewa Youth Summit to be held in Kano on Saturday, July 20, 2025.
Organised under the banner of Arewa Progressives Youths, in collaboration with Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the summit is themed: “Enduring Today’s Reforms for a Better Tomorrow.”
The event aims to bring together thousands of youths from across the 19 northern states to discuss developmental strategies, national unity, and the impact of President Tinubu’s ongoing reform agenda on the future of young Nigerians, particularly in the Arewa region.
In a statement released on Sunday, Ummusalma Rabiu explained the rationale behind the summit, saying it is an opportunity for northern youths to better understand and align themselves with the socio-economic reforms being implemented by the Tinubu-led adaministration.
“This is not just another political gathering. It is a movement of enlightenment, aimed at helping Arewa youths see the bigger picture of the current national reforms and how they can position themselves to benefit from them,” she said.
According to her, the summit will address issues such as: Youth empowerment programs, federal government’s social welfare initiatives, infrastructure development across northern Nigeria, Poverty alleviation strategies and skills acquisition and human capital development
Rabiu emphasised that the President is deeply committed to uplifting the northern region through tangible developmental policies.
“We want our youths to understand that these reforms, though sometimes tough in the short term, are designed to lay the foundation for a prosperous and equitable Nigeria, for the North and for Nigeria,” she added.
Seyi Tinubu, a co-convener and youth advocate in his own right, is expected to attend. His presence underscores the Presidency’s interest in direct youth engagement and grassroots mobilisation for national development.
According to summit organisers, senior government officials, development experts, business leaders, and civil society representatives will also speak on thematic panels, focusing on “opportunities for youth in a reformed economy.”
Kano was chosen as the venue for its historical, political, and demographic significance in the North.
“Kano remains the heartbeat of Arewa. If we are speaking to northern youth, we must speak from the centre,” Ummusalma said.
The event will take place at a major venue in Kano (to be announced soon), and is expected to attract over 10,000 attendees, including student leaders, entrepreneurs, artisans, and youth groups from across the North.
Ummusalma stressed that the youth summit will go beyond rhetoric, offering attendees practical pathways to access government opportunities, grants, and training.
“President Tinubu is creating platforms for growth from agriculture to digital innovation. Our youths must not be left behind,” she said.
She further urged Arewa youths to rise above political distractions and focus on how to build a sustainable future through resilience and cooperation.
The Arewa Youth Summit 2025 comes at a time of intense political and economic transitions in Nigeria.
Organisers hope it will spark a new wave of political consciousness and progressive thinking among young Northerners, preparing them not only to benefit from ongoing reforms, but also to take leadership roles in shaping Nigeria’s future.