Social injustice according to the United Nations, involves “discrimination, marginalization, and the denial of rights, opportunities, and dignity to individuals and groups due to factors like gender, race, disability, or socioeconomic status.” It occurs when the rights of groups of people are not protected, irrespective of race, age, gender, or socio-economic background. This manifests in structural inequalities, discrimination, and the denial of opportunities that prevent individuals and communities from reaching their full potential. In Nigeria, social injustice appears in several forms: weak governance in public service, civil rights violations by state actors, economic inequality, gender-based discrimination, and the marginalization of vulnerable groups. These challenges have led to lack of trust in government institutions and also resulted in frustration among young people who often bear the brunt of these dislocations.
To counter this, Nigerian youth are increasingly leveraging technology as a tool for resistance, advocacy, and reform. With over 139.28 million internet users (Nigerian Communications Commission, 2024), digital platforms are no longer just channels for social interaction; they are platforms to challenge injustices, raising awareness, and demand accountability.
This article explores the diverse ways young Nigerians are using technology to confront social injustice. These range from civic tech and digital platforms, to e-commerce and digital empowerment, online communities and mental health support, global solidarity and inspiration. It also identifies risks, regulations, and Nigeria’s cybercrime law. The key areas include:
Digital Advocacy and Social Media Mobilization
Perhaps the most notable example of youth-led digital activism in Nigeria was the #EndSARS movement of 2020, where millions of young Nigerians mobilized online to protest against police brutality, particularly by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS). With the use of social media platforms such as Twitter (now X), Instagram, and Facebook, voices were amplified, real-time updates were provided, and international solidarity was attracted from the United Nations to Amnesty International.
This movement revealed how technology could bypass traditional media gatekeeping and state censorship. Rather than waiting for official explanations, the youth became their own broadcasters, producing digital evidence of abuses and generating global attention.
Platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels have become powerful storytelling tools even after #EndSARS for shedding light on injustice, whether it’s unemployment, corruption, or gender violence. Not just for awareness’ sake, but also to pressure policymakers into action, Nigerian youth now use hashtags, viral videos, and digital campaigns.
Civic Tech and Digital Platforms
Beyond social media, to address social injustice, a lot of Nigerian youths are creating civic technology solutions. For instance, platforms like BudgIT (founded by Nigerian innovators) use data visualization and open data to track government budgets and demand accountability in public spending. In the same vein, Follow the Money, run by Connected Development (CODE), crowdsources reports from citizens to ensure funds meant for community development projects are actually used.
By simplifying complex budgetary and policy issues into simple, shareable data, youth-led organizations are making governance more transparent and inclusive. All of which aided civic tech initiatives to democratize access to information by bridging the gap between government decisions and the citizens.
E-Commerce and Digital Empowerment
In Nigeria, social injustice plays out beyond the spheres of politics and governance; it also extends to economic inequality. Many young people face limited job opportunities in the formal economy. As a combat to this, youths are turning to digital entrepreneurship by exploring e-commerce stores, freelance jobs, and business platforms.
Using platforms like Jumia, Paystack, and Flutterwave, Nigerian youths are building businesses that bypass traditional barriers of digital access. Not only does this shift empower them economically, but it also challenges a system where opportunities are not equally distributed. By leveraging tech skills such as software development, digital marketing, UI/UX design, project management, etc., they are rewriting narratives of dependency and creating new paths for self-sufficiency.
Online Communities and Mental Health Support
Technology has also provided spaces where Nigerian youth can discuss and heal from the psychological effects of injustice. Online communities such as Mentally Aware Nigeria Initiative (MANI) offer counseling, mental health advocacy, and suicide prevention through digital platforms. In a country where mental health is often disregarded, these platforms provide access to care and solidarity, thereby acting as facilitators of the emotional well-being of affected Nigerian youths.
Risks, Regulation, and Cybercrime Law
While technology provides powerful tools for resistance, it also comes with risks. Online activism often exposes young people to surveillance, misinformation, cyberbullying, and even arrests under vague laws on digital speech.
Recognizing these risks, the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2024, Nigeria’s latest update to its cyber legislation, seeks to balance protection against cybercrimes (such as fraud, identity theft, and hacking) while clarifying provisions on digital rights. The law emphasizes safeguarding digital platforms from misuse while aligning with international frameworks like the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime, which Nigeria ratified in 2022.
However, human rights advocates, including organizations like Article 19 and Paradigm Initiative, caution that poorly applied cybercrime laws may be used to silence dissent. Thus, the challenge lies in ensuring these legal frameworks protect digital rights rather than curtail them.
Global Solidarity and Inspiration
Battles against social injustice are not fought by Nigerian youths alone; their efforts align with global movements where technology has been central to resistance, such as the Black Lives Matter movement in the United States and the Arab Spring in North Africa. The UN Human Rights Council has consistently recognized the internet as a critical enabler of freedom of expression, access to information, and peaceful assembly.
By positioning themselves within this global digital justice movement, Nigerian youths not only draw strength from international solidarity but also inspire others across Africa and beyond.
Conclusion
Social injustice in Nigeria is deeply rooted historically and structurally, but technology is giving young people unparalleled tools to tackle it. From social media advocacy and civic tech platforms to digital entrepreneurship and online communities, Nigerian youth are rewriting the story of resistance. They are turning smartphones into protest signs, hashtags into policy debates, and data into instruments of accountability.
Yet, the digital space is not without risks. The effectiveness of these youth-led efforts depends on how Nigeria balances cybercrime laws with the protection of digital rights, ensuring that technology remains a weapon of empowerment rather than oppression.
In the words of the United Nations, justice is not only the absence of discrimination but the presence of equality. Nigerian youth, armed with technology, are ensuring that this vision of justice is not just aspirational but actionable.