#NotTooYoungToRun Bill Pushes for Political Inclusion of Nigerian Youth

Country: Nigeria
September 1, 2016
News

On August 23, 2016, the United Nations Secretary General’s Envoy on Youth, Mr. Ahmed Alhendawi, endorsed the #NotTooYoungToRun Bill in Abuja, Nigeria. The bill’s goal is to reduce the age qualifications to run for public offices in Nigeria. Currently, the youngest representative in Nigeria’s public office is Alhaji Abubakar Malami, who is in the Ministry of Justice, and was 48-years-old when appointed. The proposed bill would lower the minimum age from 40 to 30 for presidential candidates, from 35 to 30 for gubernatorial candidates, from 30 to 25 for congressional candidates, and so on down to the State Assemblies.

Alhendawi traveled across Nigeria, garnering support for the bill, and emphasized the importance of youth to have an active role in policies that affect their lives. Youth make up 60% of Nigeria’s 160 million population, yet they are largely unrepresented in the country’s government. The campaign for the bill is organized by the Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth & Advancement (YIAGA), an organization that focuses on research, capacity development, and public policy advocacy with an emphasis on increasing youth participation. Learn more about the campaign here.