Youth Quota in Parliament

The Youth Quota in Parliament Advocacy was officially unveiled at the National Youth Leaders & Stakeholders Summit, bringing together frontline youth leaders, civil society actors, and key stakeholders from across Nigeria. The summit, held to commemorate International Youth Day 2025, provided a strategic platform to launch the national campaign for fair and equitable youth representation in Parliament.
During the summit, the advocacy team secured endorsements from several notable personalities, youth leaders, and stakeholders who expressed strong support for institutional reforms that guarantee meaningful youth participation in legislative decision-making.
Speaking at the event, Hon. Blessing Oyefeso, Team Lead of the Nigeria Youth Policy Development Advocacy, drew parallels between Nigeria’s present political landscape and the country’s colonial history. He observed that political power remains largely concentrated among older political elites and economic interests, limiting opportunities for young Nigerians to influence governance.
He reminded participants that national heroes such as Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo, and Abubakar Tafawa Balewa were young leaders who courageously championed Nigeria’s independence, urging today’s generation to equally demand fair representation in Parliament and other decision-making institutions.
Providing an update on the advocacy campaign, Oyefeso revealed that the team had already engaged senior officials of the National Assembly’s Constitutional Review Committees and formally submitted a proposal for the Youth Quota Bill. He further disclosed that consultations had been held with elder statesmen, youth leaders, civil society organisations, and other critical stakeholders to build a broad-based coalition in support of the proposed legislation.
He also announced that legislative consultants had been engaged to draft the proposed Youth Quota Bill and its accompanying Explanatory Memorandum, marking a significant step toward the formal introduction of the bill before the National Assembly.
The official launch at the National Youth Leaders & Stakeholders Summit marked the beginning of a coordinated national movement to institutionalise youth representation in Nigeria’s Parliament and strengthen inclusive democratic governance.