* As CAC withdraws NYCN registration certificate *Interim management committee constituted for one year
The Federal Government has dissolved the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), following the withdrawal of its certificate of registration by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), in a decisive move to end the Council’s protracted leadership crisis.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by the Director of Information and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, Omolara Esan, the Ministry confirmed that it received an official communication from the CAC dated October 6, 2025, notifying it of the withdrawal of the Council’s registration certificate, originally issued on October 28, 2020.
According to the correspondence, the decision was taken pursuant to the powers vested in the Commission under Sections 8(1)(c) and 8(1)(d) of the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA), 2020, after a comprehensive investigation into the Council’s affairs revealed a persistent leadership crisis spanning nearly two decades.
“The Federal Ministry of Youth Development hereby informs the general public, particularly all youth stakeholders, member organisations, and affiliates of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), that it has received official communication from the Corporate Affairs Commission notifying it of the withdrawal of the registration certificate earlier issued to the Council,” the statement read.
The Ministry further disclosed that, in line with the CAC’s directive, an Interim Management Committee has been constituted to oversee and administer the affairs of the Council for a period of one year, effective from October 6, 2025. The committee is expected to supervise reforms aimed at restoring unity, legitimacy, and accountability within the organisation.
The move follows an FCT High Court order issued on October 6, 2025, restraining some factional leaders — including Comrades Ademola Gbenga and Okechukwu Nnamene — from conducting a parallel NYCN election earlier scheduled for Tuesday, October 7.
Justice J. E. Obanor, who presided over the matter, directed the Inspector-General of Police and the Department of State Services (DSS) to enforce the ruling pending the determination of the substantive suit.
Esan explained that the government’s action was guided by the need to re-establish credibility and inclusiveness in youth governance structures, aligning with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“This exercise is aimed at restoring unity, legitimacy, and institutional integrity to the NYCN in line with its founding ideals. The Federal Ministry of Youth Development remains firmly committed to ensuring a stable, credible, and inclusive youth governance framework that upholds accountability and transparency,” she stated.
The Ministry urged all youth organisations, affiliates, and stakeholders to cooperate with the Interim Management Committee in the ongoing restructuring process.
For over 18 years, the NYCN has been enmeshed in factional disputes, multiple court cases, and parallel leadership claims, undermining its credibility as Nigeria’s apex youth body.
Observers believed the government’s latest intervention could pave the way for long-awaited reforms and stability within the nation’s youth leadership framework.
