Since Nigeria returned to democratic governance in 1999, the country has experienced a continuous cycle of progress and setbacks in its quest for essential democratic values, particularly the principles of free, fair, and credible elections. For instance, From 1999 to 2007, there was a notable drop in the quality of elections. Until 2011 elections, which was far better than the 2007 elections that was controversial. The general elections in 2015 were a step forward from the 2011 elections and exceeded the benchmarks set by the 2019 and 2023 elections.

People aged 18 to 35 make up 40 percent of Nigeria’s 93,469,008 registered voters, yet they still face challenges in participating as both voters and candidates. The 2023 general elections led to a drop in youth trust in the electoral process, mainly due to voter suppression and the Independent National Electoral Commission’s inability to electronically transmit presidential election results from polling units to collation centers.

Young people believe that manipulating election results made the 2023 general elections lack credibility.

To address the challenges that could arise during the 2027 general elections, young from all 36 states in Nigeria have come together under the non-partisan Youth Electoral Reform Project. Their goal is to push for significant reforms in the electoral system.

The Youth Electoral Reform Project(YERP-Naija) initiative conducted extensive surveys nationwide, organized regional discussions among the youth, and developed proposals for amending both the Constitution and the Electoral Act to tackle the challenges that was experienced during the 2023 elections.

To boost the independence of INEC, the YERP-Naija campaign is urging that the President’s constitutional authority to appoint the INEC chairman be handed over to a non-partisan special committee.

To promote transparency and foster public trust in the electoral process, we suggest that the mandatory electronic transmission of election results from polling units in real-time for collation be added to the Electoral Act.

For fairness, we also recommend that election petitions be resolved before the swearing-in ceremony.

In 2024, the YERP-Naija campaign presented memoranda, which included these suggestions, to the National Assembly and secured commitments from 182 federal and state legislators through one-on-one discussions.

Nevertheless, we recognize that is not enough to encourage young people across the nation to come together in support of our proposals during the upcoming National Assembly constitutional review public hearings scheduled for July 2025.

We also call on the youth nationwide to convince their legislators to back these reforms.

The YERP-Naija campaign appeals to all federal and state legislators, as well as President Bola Tinubu, to enact and sign into law the electoral reforms that Nigerian youth are advocating for.

An electoral system that reflect the hopes of its citizens is vital for fostering political stability, promoting inclusive governance, and ensuring sustainable development.