EU Unveils Reality-Show Initiative to Counter Youth Extremism in Northwest Nigeria
The European Union (EU), in partnership with the international peacebuilding organisation Search for Common Ground, has launched a new initiative aimed at reducing youth vulnerability to violent extremism in Northwest Nigeria through economic empowerment and conflict-resolution training.
The programme, unveiled at an event in Abuja, introduces a reality-show-style innovation designed to equip young people with livelihood skills, peacebuilding knowledge and platforms for positive community engagement.
The intervention will focus on youths in Katsina, Zamfara and Sokoto states where unemployment, weakened community structures and persistent insecurity have left many young people susceptible to recruitment by armed groups.
Speaking at the launch, the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, H.E. Gautier Mignot, said the initiative was crafted to address long-standing structural challenges that have fuelled the appeal of extremist and criminal networks across the region.
“This is a timely intervention that places young people at the centre of social transformation,” Ambassador Mignot said. “Today marks the beginning of an exciting journey one that shifts young people away from the drivers of conflict and positions them as agents of change.”
The Country Director of Search for Common Ground in Nigeria, Karno Ouattara, also emphasised that the programme would combine entertainment with empowerment, using media, mentorship and community based training to strengthen resilience among at-risk youths.
According to the organisers, the reality show component will highlight stories of personal growth, teamwork and conflict resolution, while also providing participants with practical tools to build sustainable livelihoods in their communities.
The initiative comes as Northwest Nigeria continues to grapple with banditry, violent extremism and widespread socio-economic challenges that have undermined stability and development across the region.
