WorldPolitics

Too young to run, old enough to protest: West Africa’s unfinished democratic bargain

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Briefings

A 2026 conference in Dakar highlighted structural barriers preventing young Nigerians from contesting elections, despite recent constitutional amendments. While the Not Too Young To Run campaign lowered legal age limits, high nomination fees and campaign costs remain prohibitive. Regional tensions further complicate youth participation, as Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger withdrew from ECOWAS in 2025, leaving many young people outside the bloc that convened the event. Despite these challenges, the region remains a hotspot for youth-led protests, with an estimated 577 protests occurring in 2020 alone.

Key points

• In 2018, the Not Too Young To Run campaign successfully lowered age limits for elective offices in Nigeria, but eight years later, young Nigerians still face prohibitive nomination fees and campaign costs that prevent them from contesting elections.
• The withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger from ECOWAS in January 2025 left millions of young people in these countries outside the regional bloc that convened the Dakar conference, complicating regional youth participation efforts.

Context and limitations

Data on protest frequency and specific financial costs are from a 2025 study and conference communiqués; exact numbers for 2026 are unavailable. Regional political ruptures and future negotiations remain uncertain.

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