Being the country with the highest youth population in the world, Nigeria is a great place to host engaging youth events if you want to encourage young people there to embrace positive, fulfilling experiences and ideas.
This demographic can be converted to be of huge advantage if properly harnessed by concerned authorities as well as event organizers.
In the next few lines, we will explore exciting youth events that brands can deploy right now in Nigeria and get favourable returns for their effort.
But before we begin, let’s consider some specific reasons why event organizers should consider youth events as the next big thing in Nigeria.
Why Event organizers should Focus on youth events
Excitingly, most youths in this identified population are tech-conscious and adventurous and are ready to engage with new experiences that may appear as entertainment, sports, technology, arts, and fashion. Hence, youth events will allow brands, as well as event organizers, build lasting and rewarding relationships with young people, encourage brand loyalty, and influence future economic trends in Nigeria.
More excitingly, these demographics demonstrate that this population represents the most influential markets for brands and event organizers. Hence, they set the trend, driving brand demands in the marketplace of entertainment, tech, arts, and fashion.
In the end, targeting the youth market will promote the sustainability and relevance of the event industry in Nigeria and probably rub off on other countries in Africa.
So, here are the exciting youth events organizers should leverage now in Nigeria.
1. Tech and Innovative events
Nigeria is among the top African countries making a huge impact on global tech startups. Recently, and according to a report released by dirsruptafrica.com, there are about 481 tech starts up in Nigeria, and this is sure to increase by the days. This is a clear indication of the affinity between young people in Nigeria and the eagerness to create tech solutions.
Nigerian youths are taking advantage of increased penetration of the internet, access to mobile technology, and digital tools to create tech-driven solutions ranging from fintech and agri-tech to e-commerce, thereby improving economic empowerment across and beyond the country.
In order to sustain this drive and also inculcate the entrepreneurial spirit in others, event professionals and organizer can leverage this to create tech and innovative events to engage more youths into the thriving sector.
For instance , events that allow youths to showcase their innovative tendencies in relevant sectors, such as finance, agriculture, arts. entertainments and so on. Tech brands are also sure of gaining more ground with these events that focus on empowering or onboarding more talents.
2. Gaming and e-sports events
Although it is rapidly gaining some popularity among young Nigerians, gaming and e-sports are offshoots of digital entertainment. Gaming can be described as playing video games on a computer, mobile device, or a dedicated console. while e-sport, also known as electronic sport, can also be referred to as an organized competitive gameplay that involves the showcase of mastery and competitiveness.
Instead of partaking in the addictiveness of online sport betting that is encouraging laziness and other vices among some Nigerian youths, organizers can incorporate gaming and e-sport in their events or organize it as a single event. It can help to promote competitiveness and enterprise among youths.
Additionally, organizers can customize or present the brand’s potential to the tech-savvy, highly engaged youth audience in a way that will speak to sponsors for partnership opportunities.
3. Music and cultural festivals
From Star Mega Jamz, Gidi-fest, Felabration, and many other music and cultural festivals in the country, Nigerian youths have been endeared to showcasing what they are made of. Music and cultural festivals have been known to appeal to youths because they provide a platform for self-expression, creativity, and socializing by creating new connections.
Over the years, big brands such as Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Nigerian Breweries, and Guinness, as well as tech giants such as Globacom and MTN, have anchored their merchandising and sales to youth events showcasing music talents and cultural diversity across the country.
However, going forward, and in order to create music and cultural festivals that stand out from the rest, event organizes must allow the youths to call the shots. This will promote an authentic experience that keeps resonance with the youth. It should sync with the current realities of youth involvement in the music and cultural industry in the country.
Not forgetting the involvement or relevant technology to spice up the experience and increase the reach and engagement among the natives.
4. Social media driven events
Statistics released by Business Day newspaper have it that. out of about 103 million internet users in Nigeria, an estimated 36 million are on social media as of January 2024. This in itself is a huge catch for event organizers who are willing to take advantage of this.
For instance, recently the “gwo gwo gwo ngwo” dance challenge created by Nigeria’s A-list comedian, Brain Jotter went viral all over the different social media platforms, and even extending over the shores of the nation is a great example to show case the influence of Nigerian youths on social media.
Events professionals can leverage the domineering presence of youths on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and X (former Twitter) to create youth-driven events on these platforms and be sure of going viral in a few moments.
As long as the youths are given the will to express themselves through user-generated content (UGC) in the form of videos, gifs, text on photos, etc., there is no limit to what impact that can be generated. Even the custodians of the social media platform will have to write algorithms that will favour the event because it generates prolonged stays on their platforms and ultimately more ad exposure for brands and more money for the media platforms.
5. Entrepreneurship and skill building events
Entrepreneurial and skill-building events are an exciting opportunity event organizers may deploy to engage the youths. As the digital economy grows in Nigeria, many resilient youths are finding genuine ways to hook up their talents and skills on the moving train, thereby increasing their entrepreneurial and enterprise spirit. In other words, they want to be relevant and make money for themselves.
Similarly, many more youths are seeking hands-on training and practical skill-building opportunities to improve their skills set in various disciplines such as tech, fashion, arts, music, media, entertainment, advocacy, governance, etc.
Ultimately, youth events in the form of competitions, workshops, or seminars can provide access to practical educational resources. It can incredibly attract thousands of youths who are already frustrated by the high rate of unemployment in the country and are in search of a better life.
In conclusion, the demographics of youth in Nigeria present good opportunities for the various exciting youth events, some of which we have examined. It’s up to event organizers and brand agents to make this a reality.
