Nigerian Youths Active Online but Ignorant of Leaders, Study Finds

LAGOS, Jan. 9, 2026 – Many Nigerian youths lack basic knowledge of their political representatives, a recent study has revealed, raising concerns about the state of democracy and political consciousness among the country’s younger population. James Ojo, a Nigerian journalist and researcher, made the revelation while presenting findings from his study titled “Comparative Analysis of Online Advocacy for Good Governance and Actual Political Involvement among Nigerian Youths”, published by the International Journal of Sub-Saharan African Research (IJSSAR) on December 31, 2025. According to Ojo, the study, which surveyed 385 youths across Nigeria via social media, found that most respondents were unaware of their representatives at ward, state assembly, federal house, and senate levels, both in their states of residence and origin. Awareness was higher for governors and local government chairmen in states of residence, but knowledge of representatives in states of origin was generally low. Despite this gap in political awareness, the study found that Nigerian youths are highly active in online advocacy. More than half (51.2%) reported engaging in daily political discussions, primarily on WhatsApp, followed by Facebook and X. Common activities included commenting on political issues and sharing governance-related content. However, offline political participation was markedly low. Over 50% of respondents had never voted, protested, or attended political rallies. Among those who did participate offline, engagement was irregular, and most had not joined political parties or attended political training sessions. Fear of violence, lack of interest, and distrust in the electoral body were cited as major barriers to offline involvement. Yet, the study also highlighted positive signs: offline participation was mainly motivated by a desire to promote good governance (69.7%), personal civic beliefs, and dissatisfaction with government policies. Most youths who participated offline also possessed Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and had voted in previous elections. Ojo stressed that online advocacy alone is insufficient for achieving good governance. “Beyond online engagement, youths must actively participate in offline political activities, such as voting, attending rallies, and engaging in genuine protests, to drive real reforms in Nigeria,” he said. The researcher called for urgent reforms to improve security before, during, and after elections, increase civic education, and restore youth confidence in the electoral process. According to him, 84.2% of respondents said they would be more active in offline political activities if concerns over security, transparency, and electoral credibility were addressed. “This study should worry us,” Ojo said. “When young people do not even know who represents them, it becomes difficult to demand accountability. Good governance is anchored on transparency and civic participation, and these gaps highlight the need for urgent interventions.”

Let’s Support Tinubu, NNPCL – Civil Rights Group

A conference of civil society groups for good governance (CSGGG) is calling for collective support for the progress and growth of NNPC Limited under the capable leadership of Mele Kyari. They have expressed concerns about the negative efforts to discredit Mallam Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Limited, aimed at removing him from office to gain unrestricted access to state resources for personal gain. The group, represented by its President, Comrade Dominic Ogakwu, is responding to an unwarranted smear campaign against the remarkable achievements and ongoing progress of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) in certain sections of the media. He refuted the claim that there is a secret award of control of Nigeria’s pipelines to a Northern oil cabal, calling it not only baseless and a product of the imagination but also a cowardly assertion. According to Ogakwu, the spreading of gross misinformation and unsupported allegations regarding oil pipeline rehabilitation and surveillance contracts has become a weapon of choice for these unpatriotic elements. He emphasized that these recent attempts lack substance and are mere distractions. He issued a warning to those determined to undermine President Bola Tinubu’s transformative leadership, urging them to reconsider their actions and cease their meaningless agitations and threats. Ogakwu further explained, “To award such a contract, a transparent tendering process is required, involving public notices and invitations for qualified companies to bid. The contracts have been awarded following rigorous procedures consistent with industry norms, and each bidding company underwent a competitive tender selection process, overseen by regulatory institutions such as the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, transaction advisors, Nigeria Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (NEITI), and the Ministry of Justice.”

100 Days:  A Look at Gov Yahaya’s Productive 2nd Term and Continuity of Good Governance

Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya’s return to office following his re-election has been met with high expectations from citizens of the state and it continues to foster the continuity in hard work and progress towards the implementation of his campaign promises. Here today we evaluate the progress and accomplishments made so far in the first 100 days of his second term. We counted the gains recorded within the short time as well as the foundation he has laid to cement the successes of his first tenure to ensure the development and transformation of the state in next four years. The Governor has made some visible progress in setting the roadmap for achieving the much-anticipated development in the areas of Economic Empowerment, Job Creation, Healthcare, Social Welfare, Education, Human Capital, and Infrastructural Development as well as Security, Good Governance, Accountability, and Agriculture. One of the significant steps taken by the administration was the provision of subsidized fertilizers, seeds, and other inputs to encourage and support farmers to participate in the 2023 wet season farming. The delivery of the 25% discounted fertilizer, along with other inputs, was to ensure food security in the state and the country as well. While economic hardship that was occasioned by the Federal Government’s decision on the removal of fuel subsidies bites hard on Nigerians across the country, Governor Yahaya reeled out a series of initiatives which included an additional 40% subsidy on the much-needed fertilizers and other farming commodities to boost food production and fight hunger. Another notable initiative that was reeled out by the progressive governor in the 100 days under review, was the establishment of a Special Honorary Advisory Committee (SHAC), with appointment of some seasoned technocrats and well-accomplished experts and professionals in various fields to guide the implementation of his government’s developmental policies and programs in his avowed commitment to turn challenges into opportunities and provide effective solutions to the problems facing the state. According to the governor, the plan was for the team to hit the ground running in the pursuit of the development and betterment of the state. The Governor, who had during his first tenure, invested much in the construction and rehabilitation of roads both in rural and urban areas continued with the infrastructural development of the state to ease the movement, especially for farmers and their crops. He also embarked on a series of meetings and consultations in pursuit of collaborations and partnerships towards the attainment of prosperity for Gombe State. In the period under review, the governor met the President and Commander-in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President (VP) Kashim Shettima, the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, the National Security Adviser (NSA) Malam Nuhu Ribad, as well as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Sen. George Akume where issues bordering on national security and other developments were discussed. He expressed his commitment to enhancing collaboration aimed at bolstering human capital development and tackling environmental challenges in his state, the Northern region and the country at large.  He also held private discussions with the United Nations Deputy Secretary General, Hajiya Amina Mohammed in Gombe.  Governor Inuwa, who elevated Gombe to a development trajectory resulting in the state being ranked as the top performer in Ease of Doing Business for two consecutive years by KPMG, a reputable consultancy firm commissioned by the Federal Government, also established a Drugs and Medical Consumables Management Agency to ensure continuity in improving welfare and wellbeing of the people of Gombe State. Apart from sending a total of 17 nominees to the state house of assembly for screening to be appointed as commissioners, beating the constitutional stipulated time frame, the progressive governor has been able to appoint key functionaries and aides to propel the wheel of governance.  Worried by the current economic challenges, the governor distributed food items as palliative to the citizens, targeting 420,000 beneficiaries starting with 30,000 households to cushion the effort of the fuel subsidy removal. As part of the palliative measure of the state government which was initiated by the Governor, a N10,000 monthly salary increment was doled out for workers across the state and local government services. The gesture was described as a clear demonstration of the governor’s commitment to the welfare of his people (Gwambawa). He has launched numerous programs to bring about a tangible change and a more promising outlook for the people of Gombe state. To showcase his plans to reform and remodel the state’s higher education system, the Governor constituted a visitation panel to evaluate the current state of the state’s institutions of higher education and provide recommendations for future enhancements. Additionally, in his first 100 days of his stay in office, Governor Inuwa Yahaya also reeled out plans to shore up manpower in the state’s health sector by recruiting additional 200 personnel to revamp the system and ensure efficient and better service delivery. To put the multi-billion naira newly completed ultra-modern mega motor park to use and drive benefits for the state, Governor Yahaya who inspected the facility, set up a task force to facilitate the smooth transition of the operations from three major motor parks in the state capital to the mega park in Gombe metropolis. When a heavy downpour washed away the road and one of the bridges linking Gombe and Bauchi states, the governor of Gombe state, rushed to the scene where hundreds of the road users were stranded. He called on the federal government to ensure a comprehensive rehabilitation and reconstruction of the federal highway to permanently address the recurrent road washouts and collapse of bridges on the road which has an extension to Borno, Adamawa, and Taraba states. The progress and successes made by the administration of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya in its first one hundred days in office have provided a new sense of hope and optimism to the people of the state. The achievements have been nothing but commendable, and proof that his vision

Northern Nigeria Development: Riding on Inuwa Yahaya’s wings

“Good governance is the art of putting wise thought into prudent action in a way that advances the well-being of those governed”. – Diane Kalen-Sukra The above submission aptly captures the colour and character of the current leadership of States in the Northern geopolitical zone of Africa’s most populous country, Nigeria. Northern Nigeria is about to begin a journey unprecedented. But predictably a journey of joy and jubilant expectations. Not because of certainty of facts, since no man is certain of the future except the maker of man, the Almighty God. But certainty of expectations because of the man that is leading this journey. He is a man who has not only demonstrated that he breeds brilliant ideas, but has also exhibited consistently his capacity for successful public policy implementation. That man is no other person than Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, the Governor of Gombe State and incumbent Chairman of The Northern Governors’ Forum. Inuwa’s antecedents in policy formulation and clinical implementation of same into action which has been very beneficial to his state citizenry is about to impact progressively on the leadership of the Northern Nigerian States. Someone once said that we must eradicate ignorance and illiteracy from our nations and continent to the nearest minimum for us to have a good development. Inuwa Yahaya’s successful education sector reforms in Gombe State is a compass for a rapid transformation of the education system and structure in Northern Nigeria judging by the successes he posted in Gombe State. In his first term as a Governor, more than 300000 (three hundred thousand) out of school children returned joyfully to school with a model learning environment compared to the best schools in the developed not only that, from a comatose education sector and exam success ratio of below 27% , Inuwa’s radical overhaul, including declaration of a state of emergency in the sector, brought back the glory of education in the state. By the end of his third year in office, exam success ratio has increased to 78%. This model will be fascinating to other Northern states if the Governors are ready for same. While not relegating the importance of Quranic education to the background, Inuwa has integrated the two together in a way that both the children and parents are happy with the policy. Although, there are still many Almajiri children on the streets of Northern Nigeria, Inuwa Yahaya is one of the strongest voices on the plan to integrate these children who roam the streets into foster homes where they can be given a fresh orientation for a better lifestyle. The Northern Nigeria is sure to have a huge reduction of the Almajiri population during the era of Inuwa Yahaya. In agriculture, the mainstay of Northern Nigeria, the farmer- herder clashes is another area the region stands to benefit a lot with the incumbent Chairman. Agriculture has been a top agenda on the mind of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and same with Governor Inuwa Yahaya. I recall during Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Presidential Campaign trip to Gombe how he eulogized Inuwa Yahaya’s Agricultural Revolution in Gombe State with a promise to imbibe and replicate same on a national level. A tech-driven agricultural hub is evolving already in the Jewel in the Savannah as Gombe is fondly called. Gombe State also prides itself in having the largest grazing reserves in Nigeria with vast hectares of land for herders and other pastoralists.The grazing reserve template can be duplicated in other Northern Nigerian States and serve as a panacea to the archaic nomadic style of cattle grazing. If Inuwa’s template is adopted, transregional migration of herdsmen which often causes infringements and resultant clashes with farmers will be drastically reduced. Let’s look at infrastructure and economic development template in Gombe State and how that will rub off on sister states in the North. Gombe under Governor Inuwa Yahaya came up with the first development plan since the creation of the State. It is a 10 Year Development Agenda tagged DEVAGOM. It has a blueprint for sectoral development of the state with timelines and means of funding, clearly defined. With a development blueprint such as this, and shared experiences, a wide spectrum of cross-sectional development is imminent in Northern Nigeria. Look at the 1000 hectares Muhammadu Buhari Industrial Park in Dadinkowa, Gombe State. This is a theme park for rapid industrialization of the state. It is a business enterprise hub that will fire up development of all sectors taking advantage of the huge economy of scale that comes with such development model. Imagine all the states in the geopolitical zone firing up their development turbines at full speed. Employment galore for citizens will be the concomitant end. A vibrant industrial economy that will catalyse sporadic expansion of the individual state’s economic growth is in sight. The dynamic road network expansion witnessed during Inuwa Yahaya’s first four years in office is highly instructive for other Governors in the subregion. Gombe enjoyed a road network program tagged Network 11-100.Via this agenda, Inuwa is constructing 100km roads in all the eleven local government areas that make up Gombe State. What does this portend for economic growth? First, the rural communities are linked up with good roads thereby making ease of movement a pleasant experience for both traders and travellers especially rural farmers who will like to sell produce to the urban dwellers. The smooth roads also mean a reduction in travel time and increased production turnover. The transportation sector in the subregion is also open to emulation of the Gombe template. Gombe Line, state owned transport company has been vigorously rejigged by Inuwa with regular additional fleet. Inuwa Yahaya  has also attracted a few more airlines to the State and also brought in the Federal Might to bear on the state. The State Airport has been put under the Federal Airport Authority to take advantage of more funding. Now, if infrastructure is available and there are no serious investors, it will be a negation of efforts and denied success.

Address good governance, alliance tells ECOWAS leaders

The Alliance for Deepening Democracy (A4DD) has called on leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to take urgent measures to address challenges to democracy principles and good governance in the region in order to stem the scourge of unconstitutional takeover of governments now afflicting some of its member countries. In a statement issued Monday/ in Abuja, the alliance of organizations working to advance democracy in Nigeria, strongly condemned the July 28, 2023 coup in which President Mohamed Bazoum of Niger Republic was removed from power in a military takeover but noted that the failure of leaders in many ECOWAS member states to adhere to the universally accepted norms of democratic practice and good governance principles had become a ready justification for insurgents and coup plotters undermining democratic governance, peace and stability of the region. The Alliance identified some of the challenges to good governance in West Africa as the failure of some leaders to respect constitutional term limits in their countries, the manipulation of electoral processes leading to the emergence of governments with dubious legitimacy from such flawed elections, widespread violation of human rights and constriction of civic space in many countries, the high level of corruption, lack of independence of the Judiciary, and the inability of governments to deliver basic public services to their citizens in countries across the region. Noting that the coup in Niger was the seventh coup attempt and fourth successful military takeover of power in West Africa since 2020, the Alliance said it was deeply concerned that a region that was once celebrated as demonstrating the strongest political will and leadership in advancing democratic governance, peace and stability is now referred to as “the coup belt of Africa”. It said although some of the coups are greeted with jubilations on the streets of the different countries, the reactions were not necessarily informed by the people’s love for military regimes but are frequently motivated by a growing frustration among the people about democratic governance, especially the failure of leaders to meet the collective and individual aspirations of their citizens. Insisting that ECOWAS leaders had a duty to ensure good governance and adherence to sound democratic principles and practices, the Alliance contended that since they have always cited the violation of the region’s Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance as the basis for their zero tolerance for military takeover of governments, it is imperative that they also abide by a key feature of the Protocol, which is the common and universal norms on democratic governance expected of member states through “constitutional convergence”. The Alliance argued that the failure of ECOWAS leaders to address other challenges to good governance and democracy while seeking to take decisive action against coups would only reinforce the impression that they are only interested in ensuring their continued stay in office and have no real desire to promote universally accepted democratic norms and good governance. The Deputy Chairperson of the Steering Committee of the Alliance, Ms Faith Waziri, who is also the Communications Officer of the Women in Politics Forum, said: “Sadly, experience from the past in some of the West African countries under military leadership has demonstrated that the military is no different to the political class they often claim to liberate the people from. Thus, if this dangerous precedent is not curtailed immediately, we are concerned that it may become an uncontrolled trend in the region, putting the freedom of the people at risk.” She said that “While we commend the region’s zero tolerance for military takeover, the conspicuous silence of ECOWAS leaders in the face of violations of the constitutional convergence principles as outlined in the Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Governance has raised legitimacy concerns and doubts over the sincerity of ECOWAS in championing democracy and good governance in the region.”