Nigeria: The #EndSARS Generation Comes of Age

What the report says

A Council on Foreign Relations blog post republished by AllAfrica examines how Nigeria’s #EndSARS generation has evolved from street protest to a more divided political force ahead of the 2027 presidential election. The piece says the movement, which emerged during the October 2020 anti-police brutality protests, helped shape a new style of activism that mixed online organizing with street mobilization and drew national and international attention.

The article argues that this cohort played an important role in the 2023 election, when many younger voters and social-media users rallied around former Anambra governor Peter Obi and the broader “Obidient” camp. It notes that the youth-driven energy was especially visible in the contrast between younger, digitally engaged Nigerians and older political elites, with the generational divide becoming a major feature of the campaign.

Looking at prominent figures associated with #EndSARS, the author says the group is no longer acting in unison. Davido has shifted toward supporting his uncle, Osun governor Ademola Adeleke, while Falz and Mr. Macaroni continue to use entertainment and satire to criticize authority. DJ Switch is described as having gone into exile, which the article presents as a sign of continuing disillusionment among some activists.

The broader point is that #EndSARS appears to have matured into a politically influential but fragmented generation. In the article’s view, that matters because Nigeria’s politics remains highly personality-driven, yet social movements and younger voters can still alter the balance of power and shape the debate before the next election.