INTERROGATION OF THE INFLUENCE OF RELIGIOUS AND CULTURAL IDENTITIES ON GENZ's CIVIC AND POLITICAL ENGAGEMENTS IN NIGERIA

Author: Ebenezer Olawale Kayode, Michael Abodunrin Olusegun & Adeyinka Daniel Damilare

Date: 2026/01/10

Abstract

In Nigeria's complex socio-political context, where religion and politics are deeply intertwined, Gen Z navigates inherited beliefs and contemporary democratic ideals in unique ways. Current scholarship often treats religion and culture as secondary or unchanging, failing to capture how these identities dynamically shape youth political behaviour. This study explores how religious and cultural identities influence the civic and political engagement of Nigeria's Gen Z, a digitally active and demographically significant group. It also addresses the literature gap by examining how Gen Z reinterprets religious and cultural narratives to engage with political systems, governance issues, and social movements. Using literature, journals, case studies and applying relevant theoretical frameworks, the study foregrounds the lived experiences, motivations, and internal conflicts of Nigerian Gen Z. It finds that religious and cultural identities provide moral grounding and community support but can also limit participation when influenced by conservatism, patriarchy, or ethno-religious tensions.

Keywords: Political Sociology, Religious Studies, Cultural Studies, Gen Z Political Engagement, Ethno-Religious Identity in Nigeria.