As Nigeria marked its 65th Independence Anniversary, a coalition of young leaders and stakeholders launched the Future Is Now Project, a national initiative aimed at increasing youth participation in political leadership across the country. The initiative brought together political figures, civil society leaders, student union executives, and development partners, all of whom emphasised that young Nigerians are not merely the leaders of tomorrow but the leaders of today. The future is not tomorrow; the future is now,” Dasuki declared. While acknowledging the 2018 signing of the Not Too Young to Run Act as progress, he stated that significant barriers remain to meaningful youth participation. Presentations were delivered by Ms. Nicole Nwosu and Mr. Ibrahim Zanna, while goodwill messages came from development partners, civil society leaders, youth and student representatives, and other stakeholders.