The Federal Government has called on young Nigerians to participate more actively in the country’s electoral process and use their numbers to influence the quality of governance.
The appeal was made at an election roundtable in Abuja focused on engaging a new generation of voters ahead of the 2027 general election.
National Orientation Agency official Olukemi Afolayan said democracy was facing challenges including voter apathy, misinformation, vote buying, violence and declining public trust.
She said rebuilding confidence required more than encouraging young people to register and vote.
According to her, citizens also needed stronger civic education so they could understand both their rights and responsibilities within the democratic process.
Afolayan urged young voters to reject vote buying, resist misinformation and demand issue based campaigns from political parties.
She said the electoral system should also become more inclusive for women and persons with disabilities.
Participants at the roundtable called for greater use of technology to strengthen the credibility and accessibility of elections.
They also argued that young Nigerians should see themselves as current stakeholders in national affairs rather than merely future leaders.
Religious and civil society representatives said the country’s youth population possessed the numbers, creativity and energy to shape political outcomes if it participated responsibly.
Organisers said the roundtable was intended to identify practical reforms that could strengthen the electoral process before 2027.
