Yiaga Africa's Itodo Questions Decline in Young Voters

Samson Itodo, the Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, raised concerns regarding the voters' list released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), questioning whether the number of young voters had been deliberately reduced. In a statement, Itodo noted a decline in the percentage of registered voters aged 18–34 years, which fell from 39.6% in 2023 to 28.79% in 2026, despite the overall voter register increasing from 93,469,008 to 103,428,715, a rise of 10.66%.

The number of young voters decreased by 7,282,821, representing a 19.65% reduction. Itodo suggested that while demographic shifts could explain some of the decline, it is crucial to examine the youth registration rate and any administrative changes.

He posed the question of whether young Nigerians are registering to vote at a sufficient rate to replace those aging out of the youth category.