They say Nigerians can adapt to anything. Too beaten down by hardship to demand better. But that’s a dangerous myth. One that keeps power in the hands of those who benefit from our despair.

The truth? It has never taken everyone to change everything.

A powerful body of global research tells us that when just 3.5% of a population gets consistently organised, systemic change becomes not only possible, but likely.

Political scientist Erica Chenoweth found that across more than 300 successful campaigns, victory didn’t come from majorities. It came from a committed minority. Just 3.5% of the people, acting deliberately, persistently, and in unison.

Civil rights in the United States. The fall of apartheid in South Africa. The overthrow of dictatorships in Serbia, Tunisia, the Philippines. These victories were not born from mass consensus. They were driven by critical mass.

 

Now, bring that home.

 

Nigeria is a country of over 220 million people.

3.5% of that is just under 8 million.

 

Eight million people across Nigeria, mobilised in their mosques, churches, WhatsApp groups, unions, market associations, campuses, and communities, have the power to reshape elections, reform institutions like INEC, and demand real accountability from leaders who’ve grown too comfortable with dysfunction.

But that shift will not happen by magic. Critical mass must be built through intention, structure, and infrastructure.

That is exactly why we built the Citizens United Platform.

Developed by Mandate 4, our civic innovation non-profit focused on governance, democracy, and citizen power, Citizens United is designed to help everyday Nigerians organise themselves for action. Ward by ward. LGA by LGA. State by state.

It is not just a mobilisation tool. It is an infrastructure for civic power.

On Citizens United, you can:

  • Create or join local organising bloc
  • Coordinate civic actions in your polling unit or LGA
  • Access toolkits for town halls, vote protection, voter education, and policy tracking.
  • Track how your small effort contributes to a national movement

You don’t need to be a politician. You don’t need to have a huge platform. If you can mobilise 10 people and encourage them to mobilise 10 more, you are doing the work of nation-building.

And in a country like ours, where hardship is often used to silence hope, where corruption is passed down like inheritance, and where many citizens feel powerless, organising becomes a radical act.

This isn’t about shouting at the government or waiting for anyone else to rescue us. It’s about building citizen muscle. It’s about turning outrage into structure. It’s about knowing that if we organise just 8 million determined Nigerians, we can force this system to change or make it obsolete.

We are already seeing glimpses of this. In 2023, despite limited resources, millions of young people turned up to vote differently. They disrupted the political equation. But the problem was never just the ballot. It was the absence of structure and sustained mobilisation before and after election day.

That is the gap Citizens United is designed to close.

Because the next phase of our struggle is not about who’s trending. It’s about who’s building.

And whether you live in Sokoto or Owerri, Ibadan or Makurdi, Lagos or Gombe, this platform gives you a way to be part of something that actually works.

So no. You’re not too small. You’re not too late. And you’re not alone.

If history is right, we don’t need everyone.

We just need the right 3.5%.

 

Join the Citizens United Platform  – citizensunitednigeria.org

Organise. Mobilise. Track your impact.