CSOs Demand Urgent Reforms to Safeguard Nigeria’s Democracy Before 2027 Polls

Civil Society Organisations, the Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA) and the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development (Centre LSD), have urged immediate reforms to strengthen Nigeria’s democracy ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Speaking at a national press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, WRAPA’s Director of Programme, Yemisi Nathaniel, and Centre LSD’s Director of Strategy, Ita Otabor, stressed that Nigeria’s democratic progress is under threat from three major challenges: shrinking civic space, entrenched poverty, and weak trust in the electoral system.

“The civic space is the heartbeat of democracy. When it is under siege, freedoms shrink, eroding the foundation of participatory democracy and accountable governance,” the groups said, warning that journalists, activists, and civic actors were increasingly being stifled by restrictive regulations.

They also decried Nigeria’s worsening poverty levels, noting that over 133 million citizens live in multidimensional poverty, which is often exploited during elections through inducements and vote-buying.

On electoral integrity, the CSOs called for reforms in the appointment process of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chairman and commissioners, arguing that widespread perceptions of external influence undermine public trust.

The organisations revealed that recommendations from their Civic Space, Poverty and Election Project had been compiled into two policy briefs and a memorandum for constitutional amendment, presented to the public in August. The next phase, they said, would focus on popularising the recommendations through civic campaigns, coalition-building with grassroots groups, and sustained engagement with policymakers, including the National Assembly, INEC, the judiciary, and security agencies.

“The CISPEN Project has shown that democracy cannot thrive in Nigeria without civic freedoms, empowered citizens free from poverty, and credible electoral institutions,” they concluded.

Separately, the CSOs raised concerns over worsening poverty indicators, citing the sharp 44.51% year-on-year rise in cooking gas prices, which the National Bureau of Statistics reported climbed from N14,261.57 in July 2024 to N20,609.48 in July 2025.

ActionAid Nigeria’s Country Director, Andrew Mamedu, described the increase as “a bad signal,” warning it would push households back to unsafe alternatives like firewood and charcoal, worsening climate change and health risks. Similarly, Christian Aid Nigeria’s Munachi Ugochukwu urged government intervention, stressing the need for dialogue among key stakeholders to address pricing and industry disputes.