Yiaga Africa says 84 per cent of Nigerians intend to vote in the 2027 general elections, urging political parties and other stakeholders to address insecurity, distrust and vote buying to improve voter turnout.
Hussein Abdul, Chairman of the Yiaga Africa Board, disclosed this on Wednesday during the unveiling of the organisation’s third National Voting Intentions Survey, based on interviews with 2,470 Nigerians across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Abdul said the survey examined Nigerians’ readiness, motivations and expectations ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He said insecurity, fears of election-related violence and low confidence in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), judiciary and security agencies could influence citizens’ decisions to vote.
He described the findings as a wake-up call for INEC, security agencies, political parties, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to address concerns that could discourage participation.
Abdul urged political parties to intensify voter mobilisation and civic education, noting that low turnout undermined democracy despite the country having more than 100 million registered voters.
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The survey found that 61 per cent of respondents feared violence could prevent them from voting, with the figure rising to 78 per cent in the North-East.
It also showed that 83 per cent of respondents wanted improved election security.
On confidence in electoral institutions, the survey found that only 34 per cent of respondents expressed confidence in the conduct of credible elections, while 63 per cent had little or no confidence in the judiciary’s resolution of electoral disputes.
The report further indicated that 54 per cent of respondents disapproved of the President’s performance, while 71 per cent rated the economy poorly. It added that 49 per cent identified a change in leadership as a motivation for voting.
The survey recommended stronger election security measures by the government and security agencies, alongside efforts by INEC, the judiciary, political parties, the media and civil society to improve electoral credibility, strengthen voter confidence and tackle vote buying.
Speaking on the findings, Safiya Bichi, Head of Knowledge Management and Learning at Yiaga Africa, said Nigerians remained willing to participate in democracy but wanted their votes to count.
Bichi said citizens viewed voting as a civic duty and believed their votes could make a difference.
“What stand between that willingness and the ballot box is fear, distrust and money,” she said.
She described low voter turnout in Nigeria as a conversion problem rather than apathy, adding that institutions and stakeholders responsible for security, electoral credibility and logistics must address the barriers.
At a panel discussion on “Intentions, Commitments and Pathways to Increasing Turnout”, Ene Obi, Executive Director of the Ene Obi Centre for Development, said public confidence would improve if citizens participated in elections and protected their votes.
Obi urged civil society organisations to promote participation and insist on a fair and transparent electoral process.
She also called for attention to internally displaced persons (IDPs) and residents of areas facing security challenges to ensure their participation in elections.
Chief Ezenwa Nwagwu, Executive Director of the Peering Advocacy and Advancement Center in Africa (PAACA), urged the media to highlight the survey’s finding that 84 per cent of respondents intended to vote.
He also called for investment in political reforms alongside electoral reforms, noting that politicians’ values and attitudes affected election integrity.
Representing INEC, Mrs Victoria Efa-Mesi, Director of Voter Education and Publicity, urged Nigerians to conduct themselves responsibly, assuring them that the commission was prepared for the 2027 general elections.
