By Nworisa Michael
The Executive Director of Building Blocks for Peace Foundation (BBFORPEACE), Mr. Rafiu Adeniran Lawal, has been recognised as one of the pioneer leaders advancing the Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) agenda in Africa.
The recognition was conferred during the Continental Stock-Taking on Youth, Peace and Security in Africa, held in Nairobi as part of activities marking the 10th anniversary of the Youth, Peace and Security agenda. Mr. Lawal was honoured for his sustained contributions to promoting youth leadership, inclusion, and participation in peace and security processes across the continent.
The Youth, Peace and Security agenda gained global prominence in 2015 with the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2250, which formally acknowledged young people as critical partners in peacebuilding rather than merely victims or perpetrators of conflict. Since then, Lawal has remained actively engaged in mobilising, training, mentoring, and empowering young people across Africa to serve as agents of peace.
In 2016, he founded the Building Blocks for Peace Foundation, an organisation that has since engaged more than 15,000 young people across West Africa in peacebuilding, countering violent extremism, and promoting governance accountability.
Lawal has also served as an International Steering Group Representative and later as Regional Coordinator of the United Network of Young Peacebuilders in West and Central Africa. Additionally, he was a member of the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict’s Working Group on Youth, Peace and Security, where he supported coordination among youth peace organisations and advocated for inclusive peacebuilding policies.
His advocacy efforts include participation in several missions to the United Nations, African Union, and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), aimed at strengthening youth participation in peace and security frameworks.
In 2020, he co-edited the book Connecting and Amplifying Voices of Youth Building Peace in Nigeria, which continues to serve as a reference for youth peacebuilding practitioners and policymakers. He also contributed to the development of Nigeria’s 2021 National Action Plan on Youth, Peace and Security and currently supports other African countries in the formulation of their national action plans.
The recognition underscores the growing role of youth-led leadership in peacebuilding efforts across Africa and highlights ongoing commitments to advancing the Youth, Peace and Security agenda on the continent.