They’re Talking About Us Anyway: How Youth Can Actually Influence Policy

How Youth Can Influence Policy (Yes, YOU 👀)

I’ve been lurking on the news lately and wow… we’ve finally started a conversation that I can give advice no one asked me about. But since they’re practically speaking about me (and you), I might as well jump in...right? 😃

Everywhere you look, leaders, panels, and hashtags are buzzing about “youth inclusion” and “young voices shaping policy.” It sounds so official, like some VIP club we’re supposed to wait outside of until we’re older. But here’s the thing no one tells you: policy isn’t just for big men in suits. It’s the invisible decisions shaping your life every single day.

The price of transport? Policy.

Why fuel prices keep jumping overnight? Policy.

The reason our streets have potholes the size of swimming pools? Policy.

Why NEPA takes light in the middle of your favorite show? Policy (well… kind of).

And here’s the plot twist: young people have always been the ones to flip the script. From climate strikes to #EndSARS, to students in Morocco making healthcare a hot topic again, we’re not just the “leaders of tomorrow” we’re leaders right now. We’ve got the numbers, the creativity, the social media skills, and honestly, the nerve to do what others won’t.

Influencing policy isn’t as boring (or impossible) as it sounds. You don’t need a PhD or a seat in parliament. It can be as simple as speaking up in your student council, joining a local youth group that’s already at the table, sliding into a leader’s DMs (they’re human too), or starting a petition that goes viral. Our generation’s megaphone is digital: hashtags, reels, and online campaigns travel faster than any press conference and they’re impossible to ignore when we use them well.

Sure, it’s not always smooth. Sometimes they only invite us for the photo-op, not the decision-making. Sometimes it feels like no one’s listening. But every movement you admire started with young people who refused to stay quiet. That’s our power.

So here’s my unsolicited advice (because why stop now?): stop waiting. If something frustrates you; from ASUU strikes shutting down schools, to transport fares that keep rising, to hospitals that can’t even respond to emergency patients and accidents, or the lack of opportunities for young creatives, don’t just complain, do something about it.

Don’t just complain in the group chat. Ask: Who can I team up with? What platform can I use? How can I be part of the decision? Because your voice, combined with others, becomes an unignorable force.

Change doesn’t always start in parliaments. Sometimes, it starts with a tweet. Sometimes, a protest (even though i know sometimes it feels like all we do is protest and were yet to see any difference). Sometimes, just you deciding to speak up.

So… if you had the mic today, what’s the one policy you’d change? Drop it in the comments. Let’s talk about it because clearly, they’re already talking about us. 😉

📝 Editor’s Note (Oct 1st, 2025):

Today is Nigeria’s 65th Independence Day 🇳🇬. While this blog is about youth and policy, we also take a moment to celebrate the start of a new era. One where young voices like ours are shaping the future we want to see. Happy Independence Day, Nigeria!