NIGERIA
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Unstoppable Agents Of Progress And Change With the immeasurable advancements and opportunities on the horizon for Nigeria, its youth population are the engine to a progressive future. All over the world, a virile youth population is the bedrock on which national integration and development are based. Nigeria is no exception. The youth are the foundation and the building blocks of any successful nation. Their role in politics, the economy and the future cannot be overemphasised as countries that develop their youth will inevitably become more developed themselves. The intelligence, optimism and motivation of the younger demographics function as a catalyst to prosperity. Young people will also account for nearly 20% of Africa’s entire youth population between the ages of 15 and 24. It seems that young people are destined to be Nigeria’s greatest asset, placing the country in a leadership position in this regard. The logical cause and effect relationship is that a rising youth population in comparison to other age groups will stimulate economic development, based on the assumption that young people bring a new generation of confidence, technological skill sets and innovation to the work environment. In other cases, they require fewer resources to meet the needs of the dependent population
while mobilising sufficient resources for investment in economic expansion and human development. By the end of the next decade, 78 million people, which will be half of Nigeria’s entire population, will be under 25 years old. With such large numbers of young people in the country, the Nigerian government is in no doubt about the kind of future young Nigerians want. The youth are the engine that actualises national development. This does not only manifest itself in the workforce; young people know the future is already in their hands and they’re working to make it better by embracing the politics of the country. One example of such youth is Chioma Agwuegbo, who created the “Not Too Young To Run” bill, which seeks to reduce constitutional age limits for various elected positions. Minimum ages which will be around 40% of Nigeria’s entire population, from 35 to 30 for governors and from 30 to 25 for members of the House of Representatives. If half of the population will be young people by 2050, the youth are seeking equal representation in official offices. The momentum behind this act is coming from Not Too Young To Run activists, who are led
