From EndSARS to #LazyYouths: 7 major reasons Nigerian youths cancelled Buhari

Let’s be real, when President Buhari first came into power in 2015, some young Nigerians were hyped.

The ex-military guy was supposed to be the tough leader who would fix corruption, boost jobs, and end Boko Haram.

But fast-forward a few years, and the vibe changed drastically. The promises? Still pending. The economy? Rough. The vibe check? He didn’t pass.

From Twitter bans to painful fuel prices, sky-high unemployment, and that unforgettable #EndSARS saga, young people across Naija started asking, “Is this what we signed up for?”

So, if you’ve ever wondered why Nigerian youths gave Buhari the side-eye throughout his presidency, we’ve broken it down into seven major reasons.

The #EndSARS movement of October 2020 began as peaceful protests against SARS, a police unit notorious for harassment, extortion, and brutality targeting mainly youths.

The movement rapidly gained national and international attention, led by activists like DJ Switch, RunTown, and Falz, who live-streamed incidents and channeled global outrage.

Instead of opening dialogue, the government deployed the military; on October 20, soldiers reportedly shot at unarmed protesters at Lekki Toll Gate, killing at least 12 people, a moment seared into youth consciousness.

In his subsequent address, Buhari branded the demonstrators “rioters,” deepening the sense of betrayal felt by young Nigerians who sought reform, not anarchy.

The aftermath generated long-lasting resentment. Deep mistrust grew toward an administration seen as prioritising force over reform, silence over reconciliation.

The episode became a defining symbol of state violence against youth, fueling a shift toward civic activism and political disengagement.

Despite promises to generate millions of jobs, Buhari presided over two recessions (2016–17, 2020) that pushed the national unemployment rate to over 33%, with youth unemployment alone reported at 42.5%.

An NBS report showed youth unemployment grew from about 4 million to 12.8 million between 2015 and 2020, a 220% increase.

His signature "Social Investment" schemes like N-Power were meant to alleviate this, but they fell short of expectations; implementation inefficiency meant many youths saw little real benefit.

Meanwhile, collapsing SMEs, foreign‑exchange shortages, and inflation eroded savings and incomes, prompting youth frustration and even waves of emigration.

This sense of economic abandonment drove many youths to social unrest (#EndBadGovernance, #FixNigeria), and shaped their political views, many backed opposition candidates like Peter Obi in 2023, seeking alternatives to the tepid status quo.

In April 2018, at the Commonwealth Business Forum in London, Buhari publicly described Nigerian youths as “uneducated” and “expecting freebies,” a statement that sparked widespread anger and the #LazyNigerianYouths movement.

Young Nigerians countered with stories and examples of their hustle online, determined to fight the stereotype.

The backlash was intense, not due to mere insult, but because it came from the president himself, exacerbating feelings of disrespect and generational divide.

Many youths felt their efforts to survive in a challenging economy were dismissed as laziness by a leader insulated from their realities.

This public misstep damaged Buhari’s connection with the youth, reinforcing the idea that he did not understand their struggles or value their contributions.

Buhari campaigned on an anti-corruption platform, earning praise early on for high-profile cases. Yet, critics argue the drive became selective, targeting opposition figures while allegedly ignoring scandals involving his allies, such as MTN and insider trading.

This hypocrisy undermined credibility among youths who demanded genuine reform, not political score-settling.

When elite connections appeared to evade scrutiny, many concluded that accountability was for political convenience, not justice.

The disconnect between rhetoric and practice deepened youth distrust in institutions, and especially in a government that seemed to weaponize corruption claims selectively.

Despite pledges to defeat Boko Haram, violence and displacement persisted. Over 35,000 people were killed, and 2 million were displaced by Boko Haram and affiliated groups.

Mass abductions (e.g., Chibok girls) and repeated attacks on civilians underscored the ongoing failure.

Buhari periodically declared Boko Haram “technically defeated,” but repeated bombings and kidnappings contradicted such optimism, fueling anger among youths who still felt unsafe in daily life.

Insecurity also hit youth employment and mobility, disrupted farming, closed schools, and blocked roads.

Youths saw minimal protection, fueling feelings of abandonment and prompting some to join self-defense groups, migration, or protest movements.

Following Twitter’s removal of a tweet from Buhari’s account (perceived to threaten secessionists), the government banned Twitter in mid‑2021 for seven months, drawing international condemnation.

This mirrored an authoritarian streak: limiting speech when criticism mounted. Coupled with arrests of activists like Omoyele Sowore and raids on journalists and courts, despite legal pushback, the administration’s actions signaled intolerance of dissent.

This pattern alienated youths who had come to see social media and protest as their voice, leaving many disillusioned with governance that favored control over open engagement.

Throughout Buhari’s tenure, the cabinet skewed heavily older (average age >60), while Nigerians under 30 made up nearly 60% of the population.

Youth voices were often sidelined in decision-making, reinforcing a sense of marginalisation. While pro-youth reforms like the "Not Too Young To Run" bill passed, their impact was limited without broader youth inclusion in political structures.

Many young Nigerians lacked meaningful access to governance, fueling apathy and distrust. Coupled with youth disappointment over economic and security failures, this amplified political disillusionment, inspiring new civic movements and reduced support for the APC.