TMC Tasks FG On Youth Employment, Affordable Housing

Speakers at the 2025 Annual Independence Lecture of The Muslim Congress (TMC), FCT Chapter, have called on the Federal Government to be more deliberate in designing policies that will address youth development, affordable housing, and national reorientation to restore moral and social values in governance.

They stated this at the annual lecture, themed “The Nigerian State and Lessons from Contemporary History,” in Abuja.

Leading discussions on youth development and housing, Prof. Tajudeen Yusuf, President, Institute of Islamic Finance of Nigeria (IIFN), lamented the growing difficulty faced by young Nigerians in securing affordable housing despite various government schemes.

Prof. Yusuf also decried the mismatch between Nigeria’s educational curriculum and the needs of the job market. He urged collaboration between universities and industries in curriculum design to produce “industry-ready graduates” who can immediately contribute to the economy.

He further called on government to revisit housing and credit schemes to make them interest-free and youth-friendly.

He also stressed that government must make housing affordable for honest Nigerians.

On foreign policy and national values, Dr. Abdul Majeed Dahiru, columnist and political analyst, described Nigeria’s foreign relations as weak and inconsistent due to internal dysfunction and the lack of a cohesive national identity.

He noted that the dominance of ethnic and religious sentiments in politics has undermined the country’s value system. “Our democracy is driven by ethnicity and religion. The only reward system of identity politics is corruption,” he remarked.

Dr Dahiru added that the Muslim community, despite its large population, must exemplify the Prophet’s most enduring legacy which is integrity.

“As Muslims, we have many adherents but fewer practitioners of Islam’s moral values. The Prophet’s greatest legacy was integrity — even his enemies never doubted his honesty,” he said.

Also speaking, Prof. Ibrahim Adepoju Adeyanju, Managing Director/CEO, Calaxy Backbone, Abuja, emphasized the need for Nigeria to develop its own technology ecosystem to reduce over-reliance on foreign ICT solutions.

“Where was China or Singapore 50 years ago? They developed by focusing on technology and education,” he noted. “We should adopt a deliberate policy to empower our youths in innovation and digital skills.”

Prof. Adeyanju advocated for the modernization of Nigeria’s educational system to produce skilled manpower for national development.

Earlier, in his remark Engr. Mansur Adewale, Waali of TMC, FCT Chapter, noted that the annual lecture serves as a platform for Muslims and Nigerians of all backgrounds to deliberate on national issues and promote unity and accountability.

The occasion also featured presentation of awards to Prof. Tajudeen Yusuf, for his contributions to leadership and Islamic scholarship.

Jimoh Moshood, Edited By Grace Namiji