Obasa, Nigeria’s Youngest Council Chairman, Represents Nation at Continental Local Government Summit

Abdul-Ganiyu Vinod Obasa, the Executive Chairman of Agege Local Government Area, has emerged as Nigeria’s representative at a high-level continental summit of young local government leaders organised under the platform of United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa).

Obasa, who is currently Nigeria’s youngest serving local government chairman, is participating in the Young Elected Local Officials (YELO) Network Summit, a strategic gathering that brings together emerging political leaders from across Africa to shape the future of local governance on the continent.

The summit focuses on strengthening youth participation in governance, enhancing leadership capacity, and promoting inclusive local policies that reflect the aspirations of Africa’s growing young population. It also provides a platform for peer learning, policy dialogue and the exchange of best practices in territorial governance, urban management and service delivery.

Speaking on the significance of his participation, Obasa described the opportunity as both a national honour and a responsibility. He noted that Nigeria’s presence at the summit reinforces the country’s commitment to youth inclusion, democratic local governance and the development of responsive cities and communities.

According to the organisers, the YELO Network was established to organise the collective voice of young elected local officials at national, regional and continental levels, while empowering members with the skills required to improve performance through training, peer review and benchmarking.

Obasa’s attendance underscores Nigeria’s growing role in continental governance conversations and highlights Agege Local Government Area’s rising profile in innovative and youth-driven leadership. Observers say his participation aligns with UCLG Africa’s broader objective of preparing the next generation of political leaders capable of driving sustainable development across African cities and territories.

The summit continues with plenary sessions, policy workshops and strategic engagements aimed at fostering cooperation among young leaders and strengthening partnerships with other youth networks globally.