International Youth Day Advocate Series: Abayomi Sarumi and Opeyemi Ibitoye Empowering Nigeria’s Youth to Drive Food Justice with Corporate Accountability & Public Participation Africa (CAPPA)

In commemoration of International Youth Day, GHAI’s Food & Nutrition Program is spotlighting advocates empowering youth leaders driving change in their communities through our International Youth Day Advocate Series. Written by the advocates themselves, these stories showcase the passion, creativity and determination of young people advancing healthy food policies around the world. Youth advocacy is essential to building healthier food environments—young leaders bring fresh perspectives, lived experiences and powerful voices that influence decision-makers, inspire their peers and shape the policies that affect their generation and the next.

My tasks as the Associate Director of Food Justice programme include development of strategies for the different projects under the programme as well as work with a pool of young people to advance policy goals. The mission of our organisation is to mobilise people power for government action on healthy food policies and demand accountability from corporate actors promoting profit over public health.

Nigeria has a huge number of young people, and this population is key to Nigeria’s national growth. Unfortunately, they are also at the receiving end of government inactions, aggressive commercial determinants of health and other players in health and food sector. With a burgeoning disease burden on this group, they stand at a vantage position to demand public policies that protect them now and secure the future of next younger generation. Relying on my experience and current role, I am able to identify and create opportunities for young people to see beyond the immediate and contribute to the design of policies that shape Nigeria’s food system and economic development

Our goal for the future for food policy and youth advocate involvement is building resilient systems for young people to organise and redefine policy process. A more democratic and truly inclusive policy development framework that benefits from the experience of young people and their unique perspectives.

My name is Opeyemi Ibitoye - Program Officer, Food Policy Program in Nigeria. In my role, I support the organisation’s mission to empower, support and collaborate with youth and communities to demand for pro-people and pro-health policy interventions.

Youth make up to 60% of the nation's population and have been known to be the voice of change across all levels. This makes them policy initiators, influencers and amplifiers, especially on food policies and justice in the country. To bring this to life, I facilitate, engage and coordinate the activities and plans of youth groups, to ensure alignment with policy goals and strategic objectives.

I create platforms to learn, understand, lead and design strategies and activities for public good through provision of tools and knowledge needed for a broadened thinking, systems structuring/ restructuring, and communication. I also work as a bridge between young people and different stakeholders at the grassroot and grass-top where I ensure their experiences are properly collated for advocacy at the highest level.

Our vision is to curate a system comprising of politically sound, strategically present diverse youth, passionate about building sustainable and equitable pro-people policies in Nigeria.