Youth Unemployment and Protest Mobilization in Nigeria: A Relative Deprivation Analysis

Nigeria’s demographic profile, with over half of the population under 35, coincides with persistent youth unemployment, raising concerns about sociopolitical stability. This study examines the relationship between youth unemployment and protest mobilization between 2016 and 2025 through the lens of relative deprivation theory. Grounded in the expectation–attainment gap, the study investigates whether prolonged unemployment and underemployment among urban and educated youth contribute to perceptions of socioeconomic exclusion and heightened protest activity. Using a documentary research design, secondary data from national labour reports, policy documents, civil society records Nigerian Bureau of Statistics and protest-events were analyzed. Unemployment rates were aligned with protest occurrences to identify patterns, while protest narratives were examined for recurring grievance frames. Findings revealed a convergence between youth unemployment and protest activity, in urban centers. Unemployment was established as a structural source of perceived deprivation shaping mobilization, amplified through digital platforms, with important implications for governance and democratic stability. The study therefore concludes that youth unemployment in Nigeria constitutes not only an economic challenge but a structural socio-political risk. Addressing labor market exclusion and unmet aspirations is therefore critical for promoting civic stability, democratic legitimacy, and inclusive governance..