Minister of State in the President’s Office for Youth Development, Joel Nanauka, has said the challenges facing young people go beyond lack of money, urging them to adequately prepare themselves to effectively access and manage available opportunities.
Nanauka made the remarks on Saturday, May 16, 2026, during a university students’ conference held at Ubungo Plaza in Dar es Salaam under the “Never Again” theme, organised by the Tanzania Higher Learning Institutions Students’ Organisation (TAHLISO).
He said many young people wrongly assume that financial support alone is enough to guarantee success, stressing that skills, discipline, and preparedness are equally important in enabling youth to benefit from various government and private sector opportunities.
To illustrate his point, the Minister revealed that his ministry is currently managing about TZS 3.9 billion that has been disbursed to youth beneficiaries but has not yet been repaid.
He noted that the challenge is not limited to his ministry alone, as similar cases are being reported in local government authorities where youth beneficiaries have failed to return loan funds as required.
“This shows that the problem facing young people is not just about money. That is why youth policy does not focus on a single issue. It addresses multiple factors that shape a complete and responsible young person,” he said.
Nanauka emphasized that while the government continues to expand youth empowerment programmes, it is equally important for young people to prepare themselves in a way that allows them to fully benefit from the opportunities provided.
He urged students and youth in general to build capacity, improve their skills, and adopt responsible financial behaviour in order to succeed in both public and private sector initiatives aimed at empowering them.
The conference brought together students from higher learning institutions across the country under the theme “Never Again: Let Us Love, Protect and Defend Our Country,” focusing on youth responsibility, national unity, and sustainable development.
