Youth in Crisis: The Cost of Inaction

This policy brief examines the urgent need to reposition young people, particularly Youth-Led Organisations (YLOs), as central partners in the humanitarian-development-peace (HDP) nexus in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe (BAY) States of Northeast Nigeria. Drawing on evidence from ActionAid Nigeria's Youth in Crisis: The Cost of Inaction case study, the document argues that while young people make up the majority of those affected by the region's prolonged conflict, they also represent its greatest opportunity for sustainable recovery.

The brief demonstrates that the current humanitarian and development architecture often treats young people as beneficiaries rather than strategic actors, limiting their ability to contribute meaningfully to peacebuilding and long-term resilience. It presents compelling evidence that investing in youth-led approaches, particularly Youth-to-Youth (Y2Y) interventions, can significantly reduce the risk of violent conflict, accelerate economic recovery, and generate substantial long-term social and economic returns.