Nigerians’ reluctance to vote and engage in governance is well-documented, but the 2023 General Elections highlighted a new dimension of this challenge. Despite heightened global interest, voter turnout remained alarmingly low as citizens elected federal lawmakers and the president.
Since transitioning to democracy in 1999, Nigeria has experienced its longest uninterrupted democratic rule since independence in 1960. Ahead of the 2023 elections,93.4 million Nigerians registered to vote, yet only 24 million participated. In all 36 states, voter turnout fell below 50%, with no state recording more than 40%.
