A study by journalist and researcher, James Ojo Adakole, has revealed that many Nigerian youths have poor knowledge of their political representatives at different levels of government.
The study, titled “Comparative Analysis of Online Advocacy for Good Governance and Actual Political Involvement among Nigerian Youths,” was published by the International Journal of Sub-Saharan African Research on December 31, 2025.
Findings showed that most respondents did not know their ward representatives, members of the State House of Assembly, House of Representatives or Senators, either in their states of residence or origin.
The study also revealed that while many youths were familiar with their local government chairmen and state governors, knowledge of other elected officials remained low.
According to the researcher, data were gathered from three hundred and eighty-five youths across Nigeria through questionnaires distributed via social media platforms.
Although over half of the respondents engage daily in online political discussions, especially on WhatsApp, Facebook and X, offline political participation remains low, with many never voting or attending political activities.
The study identified fear of violence, lack of interest and distrust in the electoral process as major barriers to youth participation, and recommended improved security, transparency and civic education to encourage greater involvement.
