Zikoko Citizen is set to host the second edition of its flagship event, the Citizen Townhall. In partnership with Luminate and the Open Society Foundation, the Townhall will be the most defining civic gathering for young Nigerians ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The event will take place on February 28, 2026 at Four Points by Sheraton, Lagos. This year’s theme, “Who Shapes the Nigerian Life?”, moves the conversation away from typical election noise and towards the systems and institutions that actually affect the lives of young Nigerians.
According to Chigozie Victor, Senior Editor of Zikoko Citizen, Nigerians have not been asking the right questions during elections, and our current reality is the unfortunate proof of that poor judgement.
“It’s time we moved away from focusing on things like the politicians whose tactics are the strongest, to more crucial things such as how well or badly the political elite have managed the institutions under their care, how their performance has shaped the Nigerian experience, and what we can do to course-correct,” she said.
A key highlight of the event will be the official launch of the Citizen Report, a definitive data resource spotlighting youth insights on governance and civic engagement, and collective citizen actions that define lived reality.
The 2026 Citizen Townhall is not a conventional policy conference. It is an experience-driven forum blending data and storytelling to help participants navigate the mechanics of governance.
Victor said there is no shortage of similar events in the civic space, but the Townhall has something special to offer. Attendees will leave the event not just aware of the solutions to identified issues, but empowered to solve them. She said the event will help participants “learn, unlearn, and act.”
Key highlights include:
- The Citizen Exhibition Walkthrough: An immersive, interactive heart of the event built from insights in the Citizen Report. Participants will confront how institutions and budgets translate into health, safety, and dignity through data visualisations, sticker walls, and reflection cards.
- Impactful Panel Discussions: Three distinct panels will unpack accountability, representation, and civic action. These sessions feature youth policy leaders, media heads, and development professionals from partner organisations.
- Intimate Fireside Chat: A human-centred session exploring how a single life is reshaped by Nigerian systems, offering a vulnerable look at navigating and challenging the status quo.
- Launch of the Citizen Report: The formal unveiling of authoritative data that amplifies youth perspectives on critical issues such as misinformation, which recent data suggests has discouraged over 60% of young Nigerians from political participation.
With 70% of Nigeria’s population under the age of 35, the youth demographic represents the country’s foremost social capital. However, young people remain significantly marginalised from formal political processes.
Zikoko Citizen Senior Editor, Chigozie Victor, believes that now, more than ever, young Nigerians need to be at the forefront of the conversations shaping their future. According to Victor, the misconception that young people cannot lead is contrary to what her team has seen in the course of their work.
She said, “Young Nigerians have great ideas, and the future of our country depends on them; they want to be heard, and they will be heard.”
The Townhall is strategically scheduled to intervene before the pre-election noise peaks, providing a shared civic reality for our young audience to get behind, and the vocabulary to be used in their communities and digital spaces going forward.
Victor said, “We’re currently experiencing the calm before the storm, so there is no better time to equip an important demographic with all that they need going into this very important democratic process.”
Our lives as Nigerians are being shaped every day by political decisions. The question is: by whom? The Citizen Townhall is our chance to answer that question, and more importantly, influence what happens next.
Register now to be in the room.
Visit citizen.zikoko.com to register.
