Former Kaduna governor Nasir El-Rufai has encouraged young Nigerians to join the public sector and become interested in governance.
Speaking at the Meet the Leader (MTL) series hosted by the Abuja Hub of the World Economic Forum’s Global Shapers Community, El-Rufai addressed an audience of young professionals under the theme: ‘Youth, Power, and the Politics of Nation Building’. The event took place on Thursday at Ventures Park in Abuja and was moderated by Murtala Abdullahi, a Global Shapers alumnus.
In his candid address, El-Rufai recounted his journey from the private sector into public service, sharing insights from his time as minister and governor. He reflected on the difficulties he faced while implementing housing and education reforms, and highlighted the broader systemic challenges stalling national progress.
“Nigeria is facing critical issues ranging from insecurity, poverty, and unemployment to inadequate infrastructure and poor human development,” El-Rufai said. “But one of the biggest problems is the absence of credible and competent individuals in governance.”
According to him, the only way to change this narrative is for more educated, passionate, and financially stable young Nigerians to step into politics.
“You have to take an interest in public service, politics, and quality of governance because that determines everything else,” he said. “Trust me, politics trumps everything. If your politics sucks, your society will collapse. And I think we can agree that Nigeria’s politics truly sucks.”
El-Rufai urged young Nigerians to register to vote, participate in political party structures, and even contest elections when possible.
“Be at the table when decisions are being made. Those decisions shape the rest of your life,” he stated. “One stroke of the pen—one policy—can change the lives of millions. That’s why I believe it’s more impactful to be a governor or minister than to be Aliko Dangote.”
He acknowledged the power of digital platforms in shaping opinions but cautioned against over-reliance on virtual engagement without real-world political action. “We need young people to be as invested in reality as they are online. Get your hands dirty,” he advised.
In his opening remarks, event curator Ifeanyi Chukwudi emphasized the importance of youth engagement in leadership, not just politics.
“Youth are always told they are the leaders of tomorrow, but oftentimes it doesn’t seem like the tomorrow ever comes,” Chukwudi noted. “We’re saying the youth are not just future leaders—we’re leaders today.”
Chukwudi explained that the MTL series offers young people the opportunity to have meaningful interactions with influential leaders, learn from their values, and apply those lessons to Nigeria’s development.
The interactive session closed with El-Rufai fielding questions on critical issues such as youth inclusion, godfatherism, and the reasons behind certain policy shortcomings during his tenure.
Previous Meet the Leader editions have featured prominent figures including former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, Senator Ned Nwoko, social policy expert Maryam Uwais, and Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar.
El-Rufai’s parting message was clear: “Nigeria’s politics will not change unless you change it. Your generation holds the key.”
