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Youth

African Youth Demand Accountability and Good Governance: Lessons for Nigeria

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

As a youthful generation in Africa takes to the streets demanding change, the protests in Kenya and other nations serve as a stark warning to Nigerian leaders. With one of the world's youngest populations, Africa has a large number of people under the age of 25, offering opportunities for a vibrant workforce but also posing challenges in terms of education, employment, and social and economic policies. The growing African young population is dissatisfied with economic and social inequalities, forcing them to challenge the status quo.

Key Takeaways:

  • The protests in Kenya, led by the youth, highlighted deep-seated frustrations over economic policies that disproportionately affect the working class and young people, leading to huge concessions from President William Ruto.
  • Nigeria, like Kenya, faces significant challenges related to poverty, economic hardship, and poor governance, with rising cost of living and food scarcity exacerbating the plight of many Nigerians.
  • The unemployment rate among Nigerian youth surged to 17.3% in Q3 2023, marking a huge increase from the previous quarter, coupled with the scorching economic hardship.
  • The National Bureau of Statistics reported a record high inflation rate of 33.95% in May 2024 due to the two-time devaluation of the naira and removal of petrol subsidy.
  • Food inflation rose to 40.66% in May, compared to 24.82% in the same month last year, indicating an increase of 15.84% points, with semovita, oatflake, yam flour pre-package, garri, and other foods contributing to the year-on-year increase.
  • The number of Nigerians who are food insecure has increased by 133% in three years, jumping from 63.8 million people between 2014 and 2016 to 148.7 million people between 2020 and 2022, according to the 2023 State of Food Security and Nutrition World report.
  • Many citizens continue to grapple with poverty, as highlighted by the World Bank's report indicating that 14.2 million Nigerians fell below the poverty line in 2023.
  • Nigeria boasts a youthful population that constitutes over 70% of its citizens, presenting immense potential for economic growth and development, but the pressing issue of youth unemployment overshadows this demographic dividend.

Statistics:

  • The unemployment rate among Nigerian youth surged to 17.3% in Q3 2023.
  • The inflation rate in Nigeria stood at 33.95% in May 2024.
  • Food inflation rose to 40.66% in May, with a year-on-year increase of 15.84% points.
  • The number of Nigerians who are food insecure has increased by 133% in three years, from 63.8 million people between 2014 and 2016 to 148.7 million people between 2020 and 2022.
  • 14.2 million Nigerians fell below the poverty line in 2023, according to the World Bank's report.

Sources:

  • BusinessDaySunday, citing Tijani Oluwatosin, a public affairs analyst.
  • National Bureau of Statistics.
  • 2023 State of Food Security and Nutrition World report.
  • World Bank report.
  • Quote from Tijani Oluwatosin, a public affairs analyst.

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