By Fasomo Micheal
As Nigeria steadily counts down to the 2027 General Elections, a group of passionate and concerned young Nigerians have risen to the occasion, gathering citizens across the country to ignite conversations about political participation and democratic engagement through a citizen town hall meeting for a new generation voice ahead of 2027 election.
The initiative was convened by Zikoko Citizen, a youth-focused civic, political, and media platform established to respond to pressing civil and democratic questions that often go unanswered in Nigeria’s political space.
For a nation that is home to one of the world’s youngest populations, with over 60% of its citizens under the age of 30, the gap between voter registration and voter turnout has become one of democracy’s most troubling paradoxes. A research presented by Zikoko Citizen during the town hall meeting painted a sobering picture of a democracy struggling to find its footing among the very generation that should be driving it.
Beyond the well-documented challenge of unavailable Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), Nigerians have had to contend with a troubling pattern of missing cards, poor communication on collection points and timelines, and alleged extortion by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Together, these barriers have done more than inconvenience voters; they have quietly eroded public confidence in the electoral process itself.
Nowhere is this erosion more visible than among young Nigerians. Those between the ages of 18 and 35, who should be the heartbeat of Nigeria’s democracy, are increasingly absent at the ballot box. In 2019, they accounted for 51% of registered voters.
By 2023, that share had fallen sharply to 39.6%, a decline that signals not just disengagement but a deepening distrust of the system.
Women tell a similar story of exclusion. Though they make up nearly half of all registered voters, they occupy less than 5% of seats in the National Assembly, a figure that reflects decline.
On one side stands a youthful, digitally connected population and a generation of women who hold enormous, largely untapped political power. On the other side sits a heavy inheritance of apathy, distrust, and unfulfilled promises that have tested the faith of ordinary Nigerians in their democracy.
It was against this backdrop that Tomiwa Aladekomo, speaker and Chief Executive Officer of Cabal Media, set the tone for the town hall with an opening remark that cut straight to the heart of the matter. For Aladekomo, the problem was never a shortage of information or awareness. The missing ingredient, he argued, was participation.
“We are at a defining point in Nigeria’s journey,” he told attendees. “And if we want to push the country forward, to have a country that we deserve, then everyone must be involved. For that to happen, the largest demography in the country must be informed, empowered, and equipped.”
His words framed the conversation that would follow: that knowledge alone cannot fix a broken civic culture. It is action, showing up, registering, voting, and holding leaders accountable, that transforms a nation.
Speaking on the theme; Who shapes Nigeria’s life? Ikemisit Effiong, the Partner, and Head of Research at SBM Intelligence stated that Nigerian’s life is shaped less by the loudest people and more by the most consistent people.
“Nigeria’s life is shaped less by the loudest people and more by the most consistent people,” he said. “And elections, more than any other part of the democratic experience, reward consistency.”
Beyond the keynote and opening remarks, the event featured panel sessions and fireside chats designed to deepen youth understanding of political participation, foster partnerships, and build the civic capacity needed to sustain engagement beyond the excitement of a single event.
The day’s most significant highlight, however, was the presentation of the Citizen Report Volume 2, a comprehensive research document that forecasts youth electoral participation in 2027 and beyond. The findings were as revealing as they were sobering.
Economic hardship emerged as the dominant force shaping voter behaviour, with 78% of respondents indicating that financial difficulty directly influences their decision to vote. The link between survival and civic participation has never been more starkly drawn.
A further 66% of respondents said their decision to vote in 2027 would depend on whether past leaders had met their expectations, a finding that places accountability at the center of Nigeria’s electoral conversation.
On the question of women’s representation, the report confirmed what many already suspected. A majority of respondents, totalling 63%, believe that women’s voices are limited, overlooked, or ignored in Nigerian politics, a perception that reflects the lived reality of a country where women make up nearly half the electorate but hold less than 5% of legislative seats.
Yet for all its hard truths, the report closed on a note that was less a conclusion than a challenge, one directed at institutions, stakeholders, and the young Nigerians whose futures hang in the balance.
“Their participation in 2027 will depend on whether elections feel safe enough to attend, credible enough to trust, and meaningful enough to justify the cost,” the report stated. “If institutions and stakeholders succeed in restoring confidence and lowering risk, youth participation can become a stabilising force for democratic legitimacy in 2027.”
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