MFA Meets CONYSSA on Youth Security and National Development
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has received in audience a delegation from the Coalition of Nigerian Youths on Security and Safety Affairs (CONYSSA) as part of ongoing engagement with youth-led organisations contributing to national development and security.
The meeting held on Friday, 6 February 2026, at the Ministry’s headquarters. The delegation was led by Mr. Abraham Kwaghfan, a senior national official of CONYSSA, and was received by the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, who was represented by the Ministry’s Spokesperson, Mr. Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa.
Mr. Kwaghfan presented an overview of CONYSSA’s mandate, structure, and activities, noting that the coalition was established in 2019 and formally registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission in 2022. He explained that CONYSSA is a youth-led national organisation committed to mobilising Nigerian youths toward security awareness, peacebuilding, inclusion, and national development.
According to him, the coalition aims to complement Nigeria’s national security architecture by bridging gaps between young people and security institutions through advocacy, engagement, and preventive interventions.
He highlighted several initiatives undertaken by the coalition, including nationwide youth security and value-reorientation campaigns across the South-West, South-South, and North-West geopolitical zones; security summits addressing drug abuse, cybercrime, human trafficking, extremism, and other social vices; and youth-focused interventions aimed at addressing extortion and rights violations involving security agencies, including mediation efforts and recovery of extorted funds.
The delegation also disclosed that CONYSSA has engaged with major security institutions such as the Nigeria Police Force, the Police Service Commission, and other relevant agencies. Plans are underway to expand activities to the North-East, South-East, and North-Central zones, with a proposed North-East security summit scheduled for Gombe State.
Mr. Kwaghfan further emphasised the coalition’s volunteer-driven structure and its extensive grassroots manpower drawn from affiliated youth organisations, including paramilitary-aligned and civil society groups.
During the meeting, CONYSSA requested partnership, institutional support, and endorsement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, particularly in the areas of youth engagement initiatives aligned with Nigeria’s foreign policy objectives on demography and diaspora engagement, as well as structured engagement with Nigerian youths in the diaspora to address welfare, security, and national image concerns.
In his response, the Ministry’s Spokesperson, Mr. Ebienfa, commended CONYSSA for its youth-focused security initiatives and civic engagement efforts. He clarified the Ministry’s mandate, particularly regarding consular services, diaspora engagement, and the frameworks for assisting Nigerians in distress abroad.
He explained that Nigerian Missions overseas are responsible for providing consular services to Nigerian nationals in their respective host countries, while the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission interfaces with Nigerians in the diaspora who require assistance. He advised the delegation to liaise with the Ministry whenever necessary for guidance and coordination.
The delegation was also advised to formally submit detailed proposals for programmes intended for implementation in the North-East, including clear outlines of planned activities, to enable appropriate internal consideration and guidance.
The engagement highlighted the growing role of organised youth groups in addressing security challenges, social reorientation, and national image-building. CONYSSA’s objectives align broadly with Nigeria’s foreign policy pillars on demography and diaspora engagement.
Subject to due diligence and formal submission of proposals, structured collaboration with CONYSSA could enhance the Ministry’s outreach to Nigerian youths at home and abroad, strengthen preventive engagement, and contribute positively to national security and image-building efforts within the confines of the Ministry’s statutory mandate.
