The Federal Government has declared support for the 2025 Stockholm Junior Water Prize Competition aimed at fostering innovation in water and environmental management among young Nigerians.

Vice-President Kashim Shettima said this on Thursday at a news conference in Abuja to announce the call for applications for the 2025 Stockholm Junior Water Prize in Nigeria.

Mr Shettima, who was represented by the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Sen. Ibrahim Hadejia, said the competition would get the younger generation between 15 and 20 years acquainted with problems and challenges associated with water at their tender age.

He described the competition as an opportunity to create awareness among young people.

“There is a Stockholm Water Prize which is different from the Junior Water Prize – this is specifically targeted at the younger generation between 15 and 20 years old.

“It is essentially to imbibe the culture of awareness and responsibility among the younger generation so that they grow up knowing the rudiments of water and environmental issues, especially in this challenging time of climate change.

“It is an international competition covering almost 35 countries, and I have seen participation in the region of 10,000 and it is a wonderful opportunity for the Federal Government to lend its weight to this year’s event,” Mr Shettima said.

According to him, this year’s competition is most significant given the discussions that resulted from his engagement in Oslo in 2024 and the anticipated visit of the Crown Princess of Sweden later in the year.

Earlier, Fredrik Åhsberg, the Head of Political and Trade Affairs, Embassy of Sweden, Abuja, explained that the competition would engage young minds in addressing global water challenges.

He said the call for participation in Nigeria, which runs from March 27 to May 2, 2025, is open to qualified candidates who are invited to apply for the competition’s regional finals.

According to him, it will be followed by a national final that will take place at the Embassy in Abuja later in the year.

Also, the National Coordinator, Nigeria Stockholm Junior Water Prize,  Ikechukwu Chinemerem, said the competition was for secondary and tertiary school students between 15 and 20 years.

He added that the students would write projects on water-related issues and how it could be solved.

“It is one of the ways to find solutions to water problems and be acquainted with the problems at a young age.”

NAN