The Policy Vault Insights and Opinions

February 22, 2023 Add to library

Electoral Violence: A Threat to Safe & Credible Elections in 2023 

As Nigerians vote in the general elections this weekend, the public expects the process to be more credible than previous elections given the new Electoral Act, which has been designed to address the disenfranchisement of citizens and ensure fairness, credibility, and transparency in Nigerian elections. However, there are still concerns about the state of insecurity in the country. For instance, recent security warnings from the United State Embassy and Consulate in Nigeria advising their citizens not to travel to 15 states in the country due to insecurity— crime, terrorism, civil unrest, and kidnapping—have exacerbated public fears. In what follows, we take a brief look at the historical issues of electoral violence in Nigeria, how these issues might pose a threat to the 2023 elections, and the measures that can be taken by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies to prevent violence in during the 2023 elections and in future elections.

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February 21, 2023 Add to library

Presidential Candidates and Their Lofty Plans 

Ahead of this year’s general elections in Nigeria, presidential candidates have released their manifestos to tackle a host of issues from the economy and energy to national security. In this article we explore each of these three pillars—economy, energy, and national security—in depth.

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November 30, 2022 Add to library

A New Approach to Addressing Nigeria’s Malnutrition Challenge

Due to the multidisciplinary nature of nutrition, combating malnutrition in all its forms at both national and subnational levels requires a holistic approach that is multisectoral. Multisectoral collaboration for food and nutrition can pull together all stakeholders in relevant issue areas to ensure a better understanding of the situation, come up with solutions, and take broader actions against malnutrition in the country. That is the rationale behind the adoption of the National Multisectoral Plan of Action for Food and Nutrition (NMPFAN) analyzed in this article.

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September 22, 2022 Add to library

Nigeria’s 2023 Elections: policy options to address voter apathy 

Historical data indicate low citizen participation in voting since Nigeria’s return to democratic governance in 1999. The data reveal that while Nigerians consistently participate in voter registration, they are less enthusiastic about casting their votes on election day. In 2019, for example, the country recorded the lowest voter turnout in Africa, despite the increase in registered voters. Voter apathy is even more evident in the National Assembly representative elections; more Nigerians participate in presidential and gubernatorial elections than in the National Assembly and the local government elections. As the country prepares for the general elections next year, actions need to be taken by stakeholders to improve and ensure active citizen participation in the electoral processes.

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