By Ebi Nieketien
AS Nigeria celebrates 65 years of independence today, few question continues to echo across the minds of concerned citizens: have the country’s young citizens finally come of age? Are they ready to wrestle power from the old guards that have held sway over them for decades? Or are they like the empty barrels that makes the loudest noise without impact? Only time will give us the answers to these questions?
Despite statistics that says over 70 percent of Nigeria’s population are under the age of 30, young people in Nigeria still face numerous challenges in participating meaningfully in politics.
Many remain disengaged, because of systemic barriers that fuel distrust in government, isolation from the political process, and a lack of access to the corridors of power. For most, politics is viewed as the exclusive territory of the older elite.
Yet, over the last decade, Nigeria’s youths have experienced moments of breakthrough, heartbreaks, and renewed determination that have reshaped or awakened their political consciousness.
In 2018, the signing of the “Not Too Young To Run” bill by the late President Muhammadu Buhari seemed to signal the dawn of a new era. The law lowered the age requirement for key elective offices, dismantling long-standing constitutional barriers that excluded those under 35 from contesting high political positions.
For the first time in decades, Nigerian youths could legitimately aspire to governorship, legislative, and even presidential offices without the automatic disqualification of age. But while the law technically enabled more young people to contest elections, the political system itself has remained hostile towards them. Party structures continued to be dominated by entrenched godfathers who controlled primaries with money, influence, and resources that most young aspirants lacked.
The greatest turning point in Nigeria’s recent youth political history came with the EndSARS protests of October 2020. What began as an online outcry against police brutality quickly transformed into one of the most significant mass movements in the country’s post-independence history.
Millions of young Nigerians took to the streets across the country, demanding the disbandment of the notorious Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and calling for wider reforms within the country’s security architecture and its political system by extension.
But after the unfortunate shooting that claimed the lives of a lot of young persons at the Lekki toll gate, in Lagos state, the protest transformed into electoral activism, giving rise to the Obidient movement that electrified the 2023 presidential race.
Peter Obi’s Labour Party candidacy became a vessel for young Nigerians to speak with one voice and break the dominance of the old order. To them, he was the Messiah. The one they projected that would dismantle the stronghold of the political elites that has held the country to ransom for decades. He was a breath of fresh air that gave Nigerian youths hope of a better present and secured future.
However, despite their passion and optimism, Obi finished third in an election marred by logistical shortcomings, allegations of irregularities, and accusations of systemic manipulation. For many young voters, the outcome was not just a political loss but a betrayal of their faith in democracy.
The aftermath of the 2023 elections poses a serious possibility of widespread voter apathy in the 2027 polls. Many young people now believe that the system is rigged in favour of the political establishment and that their efforts will not produce meaningful change. Not like they were not aware of this reality, but what happened two years ago reaffirmed their position.
The same generation that flooded polling units in 2023 could withdraw from the 2027 polls in frustration, leaving the electoral space once again in the grip of career politicians.
Yet, even in disappointment, it would be misleading to say Nigerian youths have failed. On the contrary, they have become more politically inclined and engaged now than at any time since independence. They dominate voter rolls, lead civic movements, and drive online political conversations. What they lack is not interest or passion but institutional representation and systemic inclusion.
Despite their growing influence, young Nigerians remain under-represented in elective positions. While political appointments at the federal and state levels have occasionally brought youths into government, these appointments give the illusion of inclusion while keeping actual decision-making power firmly in the hands of older politicians.
True empowerment for Nigeria’s youth will not come from political appointments but from dismantling the barriers that prevent them from contesting and winning elections on their own merit.
If young Nigerians can channel their frustration into sustained institution-building, not just protest or one-off campaigns, they could gradually shift the balance of power, and wrestle the mantle of leadership from the older generation, and reshape the country’s political landscape.
Those currently in positions of authority must learn to trust the younger generation with real leadership. Ironically, many of today’s political leaders were first exposed to politics in their youth but have since refused to hand over power. Unless the baton of leadership is passed on, Nigeria risks stagnating under the weight of recycled politicians.
By advocating for youth inclusion in governance and decision-making, the country is not simply preparing leaders of tomorrow, it is empowering leaders of today. It is time the future leaders became the future and be represented in active-decision making process in the country.
As Nigeria marks 65 years of independence, the question is no longer whether the youths are ready to lead. They have demonstrated their readiness through activism, voter mobilization, and grassroots organizing. The real question is whether the country’s political system will allow them to lead.
Nigeria can either continue to exclude its young leaders or create pathways for them to take the wheel and drive the nation toward the prosperity it deserves.
