Despite the Not Too Young To Run bill passed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari, few youths participated in the 2023 general elections, compared to the massive population of young people in Nigeria.
Nigeria’s population consists of young people; the country has one of the largest percentages of young people in the world (74.22%).
Ironically, youth representation in political office is less than 6%. Although efforts have been made to promote political inclusion for the youth, experts say the numbers still need to be improved.
News.ng lists seven ways political parties can deepen youth inclusion in the domains.
They include:
1) Political parties should allocate voluntary quotas to youth (male and female) to contest elections and hold non-youth-related positions in the party’s leadership and organs.
2) Review internal policy documents and constitution to define youth in line with the National Youth Policy or African Youth Charter.
3) Co-design and co-implement youth development programmes to improve leadership, political organising and mobilisation skills.
4) Establish youth wings to facilitate youth membership, articulation and advancement of youth interest in parties.
5) Promote youth inclusion through strategic advocacy with critical institutions, capacity building and research to harness and analyse trends and data on youth inclusion.
6) Facilitate mentoring of young, up-and-coming politicians
7) Facilitate a more deliberate implementation of the Not Too Young To Run act
