By Gabriel Ameh
Abuja, December 11, 2025 — Nigeria’s capital played host to the Nigeria First Unity Summit 2025, a national convergence of political leaders, security stakeholders, youth organisations, civil society groups, and peace advocates. Convened by the City Boy Movement, the event carried the theme “Peace, Unity and Security: A Collective Responsibility,” underscoring the shared national duty to safeguard Nigeria’s stability.
Held in Abuja, the Summit sought to strengthen national consensus around peacebuilding, promote unity across Nigeria’s diverse communities, and mobilize broad support for ongoing government efforts to restore national security. The event featured high-level speeches, panel sessions, cultural expressions, and strategic dialogues on Nigeria’s future.
FERMA Chairman Calls for National Transformation Through Collective Action
Delivering one of the major addresses of the day, the Chairman of the Governing Board of FERMA, Dr. Musa Babayo, emphasized that Nigeria’s peace and unity are non-negotiable pillars for development. He noted that national infrastructure particularly federal highways often bears the consequences of insecurity, disrupting mobility, logistics, economic activities, and emergency response.
Dr. Babayo highlighted that FERMA’s mandate goes beyond road maintenance; it is integral to the nation’s security architecture because functional roads support troop movement, facilitate humanitarian response, and connect communities to essential services. He explained that insecurity not only destroys lives and property but also weakens national development by limiting access, trade, and integration.
He called for renewed patriotism, urging Nigerians to champion responsible citizenship, reject divisive rhetoric, and support government institutions working to restore calm. According to him, “Unity is the bedrock of our survival as a nation. Without peace, development becomes impossible and without collective responsibility, peace becomes unattainable.”
Dr. Babayo assured citizens that FERMA remains committed to ensuring safer, more resilient transport corridors across the federation. He also reiterated that partnership between government agencies, communities, and youth organisations is essential to achieving sustainable peace.
City Boy Movement DG Delivers Powerful Address on National Narrative and Security
A major highlight of the Summit was the speech delivered by the Director General of the City Boy Movement, Francis Oluwatosin Shoga, titled “Towards a Safer Tomorrow: Nigeria’s Commitment to Stability.” His address drew loud applause from participants for its clarity, strength, and nationalistic tone.
Shoga stressed that the insecurity affecting different regions of Nigeria must not be misconstrued as ethnic cleansing or religious persecution. In his words, “This is not a genocide against one tribe or one religion. What we are facing is a war against all Nigerians.” He added that criminals do not ask for a victim’s tribe or faith before attacking; their only goal is destabilization and fear.
He warned that mislabeling Nigeria’s security crisis could worsen external perceptions and hinder global support for the country’s fight against terrorism, banditry, and violent extremism. “We must reclaim our narrative,” he said. “When the world misunderstands our crisis, solutions become misdirected.”
The DG praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Nigeria’s security agencies for working relentlessly both openly and behind the scenes to address the security challenges. He urged Nigerian youths in particular to act as ambassadors of national unity and to resist being used for spreading misinformation online.
According to Shoga, unity is the most powerful weapon available to Nigerians in the fight for a safer society. “An attack on one community is an attack on all of us. We must stand together; we must tell our own story; and together, we will secure Nigeria for generations to come,” he affirmed.
Welcome Address Sets the Tone for National Reflection
Earlier, the Director-General of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) represented by Dr. Emmanuel Mamman, Director of NPA welcomed participants and emphasized the critical need for meaningful dialogue and sustained peacebuilding at all levels of society. He noted that national unity is a strategic pillar for stability and called for proactive measures to build trust among Nigeria’s diverse communities.
Keynote Address Highlights Digital Responsibility and Youth Power
In his keynote presentation, Mr. Chukwemeka Mbah highlighted the influence of young Nigerians, especially on social media, in shaping national discourse. He argued that the digital space has become a double-edged sword a platform for empowerment when used responsibly, and a threat to peace when misused for hate speech, misinformation, and political manipulation.
He encouraged youths to become digital peace ambassadors and reminded them that unity begins with the content they create, share, or amplify.
Panel Session: Youths on Social Media The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
A thought-provoking panel session brought together youth activists, digital experts, influencers, and communication specialists to discuss the impact of social media on peace and national cohesion. Speakers examined social media’s role in driving civic engagement, while also addressing challenges such as fake news, online radicalization, and divisive political narratives.
The session concluded that youths must be at the center of any long-term strategy for national unity.
Other Activities and Closing Moments
The Summit also featured a Call for Unity by the President of NYIP, remarks from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), a spoken-word performance by Cadda, and the reading of the Abuja Unity Declaration — a pledge to promote peace, responsible citizenship, and digital responsibility.
A symbolic unity song, cake-cutting ceremony, and closing remarks by the TUPN President brought the event to a memorable close. Participants later engaged in a networking session focused on collaboration for peace advocacy and youth leadership development.
