YOUTH RESTIVENESS: TIME FOR ACTION

The choice is before us: listen to young people and deal with the problems early, or wait until frustration becomes another crisis.

Youth restiveness has become impossible to ignore in Nigeria. From street protests to arguments that explode on social media, from community clashes to cultism and cybercrime, the signs are everywhere. Many young Nigerians are frustrated and no longer willing to stay quiet.

Walk through the streets of Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Delta or Edo and you will see young people of different backgrounds - graduates and artisans alike, holding plastic bottles that look like soft drinks. What is inside is often hard drugs. They loiter around hotels, clubs, drinking spots and motor parks. Some sleep in awkward positions from the effects of what they have taken. Girls are not left out. After taking the same substances, some of them behave in ways they would never do when sober - promiscuity, prostitution, suggestive dancing and smoking.

The real question is not only why young people are restless. It is what the rest of society has done, or failed to do about the conditions that produce the frustration. The reasons are obvious. Unemployment, high cost of living, insecurity, poor governance, lack of opportunities and the sense of having no say in decisions that affect their lives have all built up.

We have experienced youth restiveness in different forms in Nigeria. In the Niger Delta, young people protested for years over environmental damage, joblessness and the sharing of oil wealth. In other parts of the country, there have been protests, communal fights and other forms of unrest. As a way of keeping themselves busy and trying to make ends meet, many young people have gone into the transport business - okadas, tricycles and the small buses people call korokpe. They buy the vehicles on hire purchase and are expected to finish paying within a year. A few years ago that was possible. It is no longer so because spare parts, fuel and the vehicles themselves have become extremely expensive. For instance, a Bajaj motorcycle that once sold for about ₦170,000 now goes for over a million naira. A tricycle that cost one million naira four years ago is now over three million! Operators who cannot meet the repayment terms grow bitter and sometimes take it out on passengers. That tension spills into the wider society.

The #EndSARS Moment

The clearest recent example was the #EndSARS protests of 2020. What began as anger over police brutality and the excesses of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad quickly grew into a nationwide youth movement. Young people came out in Lagos, Abuja and other cities demanding police reform and better governance. In fact, the #EndSARS protests proved that when young Nigerians decide an issue matters, they can mobilise and force attention. The protests showed both the power and the depth of frustration among Nigeria’s youth. People who had mostly complained online suddenly organised and filled the streets. In some places, especially Lagos, the protests turned destructive and caused heavy damage to public and private property. The message was still clear: when people feel strongly enough and come together, the result can be overwhelming.

Why This Matters to Everyone

Young people form a large part of Nigeria’s population. They are the future workers, business owners, professionals and leaders. Their energy and ideas can build companies, develop technology, create jobs and solve problems. Nigeria’s tech and creative scenes already show what is possible when opportunity exists. The phone repairers and technicians in Computer Village, Ikeja, are a good example. Many of them are skilled and hardworking. Some simply need money for better tools or a proper shop so their business looks more credible. Soft loans and targeted support could make a real difference. However, talent alone is not enough. Without decent education, access to finance, jobs, basic infrastructure and a stable environment, many young people cannot turn their abilities into a living. A country that keeps ignoring its youth will eventually pay for it.

What Is Driving the Restlessness

Unemployment and underemployment top the list. Every year thousands of graduates enter a job market that is already overcrowded. Some search for years; others take jobs far below their qualifications. Those without degrees face even harder conditions—they may have skills but lack the capital or equipment to use them. Education is another weak point. Many students leave school with certificates but little practical preparation for the workplace. That is why vocational training, entrepreneurship and digital skills need far more attention.

Political Exclusion Adds To The Anger.

Young people campaign hard during elections yet feel shut out when real decisions are made. The Not Too Young To Run campaign showed the hunger for greater participation. Older politicians still control most of the money needed to run for office, so many young aspirants never get a fair chance.

Economic hardship and inequality make daily life grinding. Food, transport and rent keep rising. For those without steady income the pressure is severe. Social media cuts both ways. Nigerian youth are heavy users of X, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook. These platforms have helped organise protests, expose wrongdoing and raise money for causes. They also spread false information, create peer pressure and give criminal or extremist groups an easy way to reach vulnerable young people.

Cybercrime and Other Negative Paths

The rise of “Yahoo Yahoo” cannot be ignored. Not every person involved in internet fraud is driven only by lack of jobs. Hardship, greed, the pressure to look successful and the constant parade of luxury lifestyles online all play a part. Tackling restiveness therefore requires more than jobs. Young people also need to be taught the value of integrity, patience and honest work.

What Can Be Done

There is no single solution to the problem. The government, the private sector, schools, families, community leaders and young people themselves all have roles. More productive jobs are needed. Policies should make it easier for businesses to grow and hire. Young entrepreneurs need cheaper credit, mentoring, reliable power and good roads. Education must match the economy. Technical skills, entrepreneurship, digital literacy and vocational training should take centre stage so that leaving school means having a way to earn a living, not just waiting for a white-collar job that may never come.

Furthermore, young people must have a real place in governance, not just as campaign foot soldiers, data boys or token appointees. They should sit at the table when policies are shaped.

Community institutions matter too. Traditional rulers, religious groups, youth associations and NGOs can create spaces where young people talk openly and receive guidance. The government should listen before frustration turns into crisis, not after.

The Way Forward

Force alone will not solve youth restiveness. Security measures may be necessary when lives and property are threatened, but arrests do not remove the economic and social conditions that created the anger.

#EndSARS and the long agitation in the Niger Delta both show what happens when people feel their concerns have been ignored for too long. At the same time, frustration is not a licence to destroy property or harm others. Young people also carry responsibility to push for change through peaceful and constructive means. Nigeria does not lack talented young people. What is often missing is the environment that lets that talent grow. Better education, real jobs, support for enterprise, genuine political space and a fairer system can turn much of the current frustration into productive energy.

Youth restiveness is both a problem and a warning. It tells us something has to change. We can keep ignoring it until it explodes, or we can listen, engage and give young Nigerians reasons to believe in the future. They are not only the leaders of tomorrow. They are already a major force in the country today.

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