Presidential and National Assembly elections held in Februaury 2023. The next expected election is in March 2027.
Nigeria
Nigerian politics is defined by the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) under President Bola Tinubu, preparations for the 2027 general elections, and shifting dynamics among opposition parties. Key issues include economic reforms, national security, and ongoing debates over electoral integrity.
200M+
Population
7:6
Men-Women Ratio
25%
Women Representation
Overview
“Nigeria is a country in West Africa that was formerly under British colonial administration. Nigeria gained independence in 1960 and became a federal parliament with Nnamdi Azikiwe as Governor-General (1960-1963). The state became a republic in 1963 with Azikiwe becoming the first president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Nigeria operates under a presidential democracy that is defined by separation of power, checks and balances, and federalism. Power is shared among the federal government, 36 states, and 774 local governmant areas, with each level of government having its own executive, judiciary, and legislature. Nigeria operates a multiparty system but dominated by two major parties- APC and PDP. The executive, president, governor and local government chairman, are directly elected by the people for a terms of two ywears and can serve a maximum of two terms.
The year 1999 marked a major turning point in Nigeria’s history. This period marked the end of long military dominance of 15 years and ushered in the beginning of the fourth republic. Also, the 1999 constitutuion (as amended) became the legal framework for Nigeria’s democratic governance till date. Several reforms have been introduced into the Nigerian Electoral Act to strenthen the Independent National Electoral Commission and reinforce electoral integrity. The most recent and the most progressive reform is the Electoral Act of 2022 that was signed by Muhammadu Buhari. This reform introduced the electronis trasmission of results and legalized the use of technological devices.
Key political transitions since 1999: Olusegun Obasanjo relected in 2003 for a second term; Umaru Musa Yar’Adua was elected in 2007, this was the first civilian-to-civilian transition in Nigeria; Goodluck Jonathan succeded Yar’Adua in 2010 after his death; Muhammadu Buhari defeated an incubent president for the first tme and became president in 2015; Bola Ahmed Tinubu became presidbent in 2023.”
Upcoming Elections
March 1, 2025
Presidential Election
Scheduled
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Participation Metrics
Voter Turnout:
National turnout during the 2023 General Elections is considered the worst since Nigeria’s return to civilian rule in 1999. The total number of 93.4 million registered and 87.2 million Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) were collected. The actual number of votes that were cast was between 24.9 to 25.3 million, resulting to only about 26-27% voter turnout. In contrast, the 2003 General Elections recorded the highest turnout since the return to democracy, but there has been a steady decline ever since.
Gender Statistics:
INEC recorded a total number of 93.4 million registered voters; 47.5% being women and 52.5% being men. Based on candidate runnership, about 10% of women made up for the total number of candidtaes contesting for various positions. It was also reported that 96% of female contestants were defeated in the 2023 General Elections, with only 7% occuping the legislature. These indicates that Nigeria is lagging behind in terms of balanced gender representation in governance.
Youth Participation:
The 2023 General Election, for the first time, experienced the significant presence of youths in terms of voter registration. This is a result of the #ENDSARS protest that awakened political consiousness among the youths. According to INEC, 48% of the registered voters were youths between the ages of 18-34. However, despite high registration, there was still a low voter turnout.
In addition, the Not Too Young To Run Act (2018) lowered the age limits for various positions but political parties still prefered older candidates, eventually leading to low number of young candidates during the 2023 elections. “
Key Electoral Institutions
Political parties and the National Assembly
Political parties and the National Assembly are crucial to the functioning of Mauritania’s electoral system, even though they are not direct management bodies. Political parties mobilize citizens, nominate candidates, and monitor elections through agents and observers. The National Assembly contributes by debating and enacting electoral laws, shaping the legal framework within which CENI and other institutions operate. Together, they provide democratic oversight and ensure political pluralism in the electoral environment.
Contact Information
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Constitutional Council
They serve as the highest judicial authority on electoral and constitutional matters in Mauritania. It validates and proclaims final election results, particularly for presidential and parliamentary elections, and confirms the eligibility of presidential candidates. The Council also adjudicates electoral disputes, ensuring that elections comply with the constitution and legal framework. Its rulings are final and binding, giving it a central role in safeguarding the integrity and legitimacy of electoral outcomes.
Contact Information
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Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI)
This is Mauritania’s principal body responsible for organizing and supervising all elections, including presidential, parliamentary, regional, and municipal polls. It operates as an autonomous institution mandated to ensure transparency, neutrality, and fairness in the electoral process. CENI oversees voter registration, monitors campaign conduct, manages the logistics of voting and counting, and announces provisional results. Its members are appointed through political consensus, typically representing both ruling and opposition parties, to reinforce public confidence and political balance.
Contact Information
- Headquarters: Commission Électorale Nationale Indépendante (CENI) of Mauritania
- Mailing Address: B.P. 4550, Nouakchott, Mauritania
- Hotline: +222 45 24 15 40
- Email: ceni@ceni.mr
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Direction Générale des Élections (DGE)
The DGE is the main new electoral management body in Guinea, created by decree in 2025. It is responsible for organising elections (both elections and referendums), maintaining and managing the electoral register, and guaranteeing aspects of electoral fairness. The DGE also represents Guinea in regional and international electoral organisations.
Contact Information
- Headquarters: Direction Générale des Élections (DGE)
- Mailing Address: Based in Conakry, Commune de Dixinn
- Hotline: +224 628 00 00 00
- Email: contact@dge.gov.gn
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Judiciary (Election Petitions)
The High Court of The Gambia hears election petitions. (Election Petition Rules 1976 govern the process.)
Contact Information
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Electoral Laws & Policies
The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended)
https://nigeriarights.gov.ng/files/constitution.pdf
Electoral Act 2022: This legislation repealed the electoral act 2010 to guide INEC in the conduct of their activities.
https://placng.org/i/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Electoral-Act-2022.pdf
INEC Guidelines and Manuals: This is a manual for officials and party agents on the use of BVAs, logistics, collation and result declaration.
https://inecnigeria.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/REGULATIONS-AND-GUIDELINES-FOR-THE-CONDUCT-OF-ELECTIONS-2022_updtd.pdf
Accredited Election Monitoring Organizations
Recent Election Publication
News & Updates
Election Result Platform
How To Monitor Elections In
Nigeria
Purpose
Promote transparency, accountability, and credible outcomes in Nigeria’s federal elections (Presidential, National Assembly).
Key Actors
International observers (UN, EU, AU, donor missions)
Domestic/Local observers (civil society coalitions: TMG, Yiaga Africa, CDD Africa, CLEEN Foundation, Nigerian Civil Society Situation Room)
Media observers (press accreditation)
Accredited observers via INEC and observer coalitions
Accreditation and Legality
INEC accreditation is required for official observation presence.
Observation is permitted under Nigeria’s Electoral Act and constitutional framework; adhere to rules on accreditation, reporting, safety, and non-interference.
Timelines: accreditation typically opens months before Election Day; apply through INEC or recognized observer coalitions.
Preparation and Planning
Choose observer track: international, domestic, citizen, or media.
Join a recognized observer network or coalition; obtain required credentials.
Define scope: focus on polling units, collation centers, or broader sampling across states (including key battlegrounds).
Training: complete pre-election training on procedures, indicators, safety, and ethics.
Tools: standardized observation checklists, reporting templates, offline data collection options, photo/video where permitted.
Deployment Strategy
Geography: representative sampling across urban/rural areas, states with varying party strengths, and critical constituencies.
Logistics: travel, lodging, transport, power supply for devices, secure data storage, and backup plans.
Safety: risk assessment, security briefings, communication protocols, and emergency contacts.
On Election Day (Polling Units)
Accreditation verification at polling stations.
Observe: accessibility, queue management, secrecy of the ballot, polling procedures, and presence of Polling Officials.
Record anomalies: delays, voter intimidation, missing materials, misprinted ballots, or non-compliance with procedures.
Respect rules: do not interfere with processes; collect data using approved templates; avoid interfering with voters or officials.
Counting and Collation
Observe counting processes where allowed; verify procedures against guidelines.
Document discrepancies, delays, or procedural issues.
Collect and triangulate data with other observers and official results where permissible.
Reporting and Escalation
Use standardized, factual reporting templates.
Escalate critical incidents through coalition hierarchies and official channels (INEC liaison points, transparency hotlines).
Produce a preliminary report promptly after Election Day; follow with a substantive post-election report and recommendations.
Post-Election
Engage in public briefings with civil society and media.
Compare observer findings with INEC results and other observer reports.
Contribute to post-election review and reform discussions.
Ethical and Operational Principles
Impartiality and non-interference.
Accuracy, verification, and corroboration.
Safety and compliance with laws and codes of conduct.
Respect for privacy and data protection where applicable.
Timeline (condensed)
6–12 months before: join coalition, begin accreditation planning.
3–6 months before: complete training; finalize deployment plan.
Weeks before: finalize logistics; confirm polling unit sampling.
Election Day: execute observation and initial reporting.
1–2 weeks after: publish preliminary findings; submit final report.
Contact Points and Resources
INEC: official accreditation and guidelines (INEC Nigeria): https://www.inecnigeria.org/
Civil society coalitions and partners (examples):
Transition Monitoring Group (TMG): https://tmgnigeria.org/
Yiaga Africa: https://yiagaafrica.org/
Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD Africa): https://cddwestafrica.org/
International observers (illustrative):
European Union Election Observation: https://eeas.europa.eu/
If you share your role (international, domestic, citizen) and the current election cycle (federal presidential and national assembly), I can tailor a concrete, practical action plan with timelines and contact targets.