By: Dawda Baldeh
The National Assembly Member for Banjul Central, Abdoulie Njai, has been elected and inaugurated as the Chairperson of the West Africa Young Parliamentarians Network, a new regional body bringing together young legislators from across the subregion. His election took place during the 7th Annual Youth Education and Leadership Conference in Liberia, which coincided with the launch of the Network.
The conference gathered UN officials, diplomats, government ministers, young MPs from The Gambia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Mali, Burkina Faso, Liberia, and Senegal, as well as youth advocates from across West Africa. The event marked an important step in strengthening youth leadership, institutional accountability, and regional cooperation.
Njai was unanimously selected as Chairperson. In his acceptance speech, he expressed deep gratitude to Youth Network for Positive Change Liberia, describing his election as “not just a title, but a sacred commitment to serve each and every one of you with dignity and purpose.”
He reflected on the region’s demographic realities, noting that West Africa, home to one of the world’s youngest populations, stands at a decisive moment. He described the “youth bulge” as both the continent’s greatest asset and its most urgent challenge. With young people making up more than sixty percent of Africa’s population, Njai lamented their continued exclusion from decision making spaces where policies on education, employment, digital transformation, and climate action are shaped.
“This representation gap is not merely a statistical anomaly,” he said. “It is a failure of governance itself.”
He stressed that the Network’s mission is to help close this gap through deliberate and principled engagement. He added that young leaders must demonstrate readiness rather than rebellion, pushing for reforms grounded in discipline, humility, and respect for the wisdom of older generations.
“We are not here to dismiss the sacrifices of those who came before us,” he said. “We are here to build upon them, infusing new energy and tools into an unfinished project, creating nations that work for all.”
This message of respectful determination continued through a series of high level engagements on the sidelines of the launch. Njai, alongside fellow young lawmakers, met with Liberia’s Governance Commission to explore ways of strengthening inclusive democratic institutions. He also held talks with the British Embassy’s Head of Mission on youth political participation and leadership.
Further meetings followed with Liberia’s Minister of Youth and Sports, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and senior officials from the United Nations Population Fund, aligning the Network’s priorities with global initiatives on youth development and the rights and health of young women and girls.
Njai’s rising influence was further acknowledged when he was recently invited by the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development in Abuja as a guest speaker alongside regional and international experts. His central message remained unchanged. Progress requires youth leadership that is bold, evidence based, and focused on long term national interests.
His momentum continued in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, where he represented both The Gambia and the Network at an African Youth Parliamentarians Network engagement on anti money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism. Addressing senior policymakers, he stressed the duty of young legislators to take a strong stand against financial crimes that weaken development and undermine public trust.
In a historic moment, Njai presented the motion adopting the Network’s new declaration, a key document setting out its strategic plan. The declaration outlines an ambitious agenda for young lawmakers across the continent, including stronger financial governance, deeper transparency, and youth centred legislative reforms to safeguard Africa’s economic future.
From Monrovia to Abuja and Abidjan, Njai’s message has remained consistent. West Africa’s future will be shaped by young leaders who honour the past, act responsibly in the present, and imagine a better tomorrow while proudly representing The Gambia.
By: Dawda Baldeh The National Assembly Member for Banjul Central, Abdoulie Njai, has been elected and inaugurated as the Chairperson of the West Africa Young Parliamentarians Network, a new regional body bringing together young legislators from across the subregion. His election took place during the 7th Annual Youth Education and Leadership Conference in Liberia, which The Fatu Network
