Why Youths Are Still ‘Too Young to Run’ Eight Years On

Eight years after Nigeria passed the Not Too Young to Run Act in 2018, lowering age limits for elective offices, young people remain largely excluded from political leadership. Despite being the largest voting bloc, systemic barriers continue to keep them “too young to run” in practice.

Community activists and analysts point to several challenges:

• Exorbitant nomination fees — Political parties demand millions of naira for forms, pricing out most young aspirants.
• Party structures dominated by elites — Youths are often used for mobilization but denied meaningful roles in decision-making.
• Declining youth candidacy — Statistics show youth participation dropped from 34% in 2019 to 28.6% in 2023, despite reforms.
• Financial exclusion — Without wealthy sponsors, most young Nigerians cannot compete.

Nigeria’s demographics make the issue more pressing. With over 50 million citizens aged 16–35, youths represent nearly 40% of registered voters and more than 60% of the population. Yet their voices remain underrepresented in governance.

Civil society groups warn that continued exclusion risks fueling apathy, frustration, and even unrest. They argue that empowering youths is essential for democratic legitimacy and sustainable development.

Proposed solutions include reducing nomination fees, introducing youth quotas in party structures, and strengthening civic education. Advocates also call for empowering youth wings of political parties with real influence rather than symbolic roles.

Observers conclude that while the legal age barrier has been lowered, financial, structural, and cultural obstacles remain the true hurdles. Until parties reform their internal systems, Nigerian youths may continue to be “too young to run” in practice, even if the constitution says otherwise.