Formal and informal education, in particular formal education has been shown to be a source of leadership for Nigerian youth. It is also vital to help young people understand the issues involved in their quest for good leaders. Because many Nigerians still think that the only source of leadership is through their traditional leaders, which has caused them to be greatly limited in their political choices.

The way in which a country chooses its leadership also affects how that country develops. This chapter explores how the use of formal or informal education can be helpful to students above age 18 in choosing their leaders in the Nigerian government. Specific topics include analysis concerning Nigeria's political structures, how education and birth cohort may play a role in helping improve governance in Nigeria and what might be done to improve this situation.

The Nigerian government classifies everyone above the age of eighteen as citizens for electoral purposes. Therefore, students over that age are able to vote in the country's national elections. Though this proposed method of voting has been suggested in some interviews, it has not yet been implemented.
In Nigeria, formal education usually begins at the secondary level and continues until the end of university. In this country, most young people go to school from the age of 10 to 18 years. While there are several types of schools such as public, private, technical and vocational high schools, primary schools and kindergarten, tuition free schools also exist. Formal education regulates that all students enrolled in a particular school have equal access to textbooks and other educational materials indispensable for them until they complete their studies.