In a bold move to amplify the voices of young Nigerians in national discourse, Citizen Commons Advocacy International has unveiled the maiden edition of the Nigerian Youth Voice Survey.
The initiative, launched during a media briefing on June 20, 2025, in Abuja, seeks to gather the experiences, opinions, and aspirations of young people across the country as Nigeria navigates its complex political and socio-economic landscape.
The survey is an extension of Citizen Commons’ earlier project, Youth Conversation for a New Nigeria, a grassroots consultation that culminated in the production of a policy-focused manifesto titled A Nigeria for the Many, Not the Few. That report was widely used to engage policymakers ahead of the 2023 general elections.
Speaking at the event, Executive Director of Citizen Commons, Olalekan Oshunkoya, explained that the new survey aims to deepen that engagement by collecting data-driven insights from young Nigerians aged 18 to 35 on a wide array of national issues.
“The future of Nigeria is in the hands of young people. We must be intentional about the policies, politics, principles, and practices that shape national development and governance priorities,” Oshunkoya said.
The Nigerian Youth Voice Survey is designed to be inclusive, reaching young Nigerians in cities and rural areas, on campuses and in communities. The goal is to mobilize up to 25,000 responses from across the country’s six geo-political zones, creating what organizers describe as “an authoritative mapping” of youth sentiment on pressing national issues.
These include insecurity, youth unemployment, political participation, police brutality, federal restructuring, access to social services, education, healthcare, housing, and the perception of corruption. The survey also seeks to explore how Nigerian youth perceive the country’s image internationally and their role in reshaping it.
“It’s about giving voice to young Nigerians in new ways and bridging divides—urban, rural, ethnic, and economic—to articulate shared concerns and hopes,” Oshunkoya added.
A core part of the initiative is to support evidence-based policymaking. According to Citizen Commons, the data gathered will be used to engage leaders at the local, state, and national levels to highlight youth priorities and propose actionable recommendations.
“We are providing policymakers and leaders with the tools to make informed decisions based on what young Nigerians actually want,” said the Executive Director.
The organization emphasized that youth leaders, student union officials, community activists, and media outlets—both online and traditional—will be integral to the nationwide mobilization effort. The group is calling on young people to not just participate, but to take ownership of the process.
Coinciding with the 26th anniversary of Nigeria’s Fourth Republic, the initiative comes at a symbolic moment for introspection and recommitment to democratic values. The organizers see the survey as an opportunity to reimagine Nigeria from the perspective of its largest demographic group—youths—who have often been marginalized in policymaking processes despite bearing the brunt of economic and social instability.
“We must all contribute to the effort to refresh and redirect the fortunes of this country toward the inclusive aspirations of our founding fathers,” said Oshunkoya.
For Citizen Commons, the vision of a “New Nigeria” is not a distant dream but a tangible possibility driven by youth-led action.
“The New Nigeria is alive in the hearts of young people. One youth, one action, one step at a time—we believe it can be achieved in our lifetime.”
Citizen Commons Advocacy International is a non-profit organization registered in Nigeria. It focuses on empowering citizens to take collective action to solve societal challenges through innovation, community engagement, and civic participation. Its platforms support social entrepreneurs, activists, and civic leaders to build democratic accountability and sustainable development from the grassroots up.
END