9 In 10 States Run Democracy With Weak Institutions – Report

A new Democracy Performance Index (DPI) has raised concerns over the state of governance in Nigeria, warning that while elections are being held across the country, democratic institutions remain structurally weak, uneven and often fail to translate civic participation into accountable governance.

The report, titled State of Democratic Performance in Nigeria, 2025 and developed by Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI), assessed all 36 states and found that Nigeria’s democracy is “active, visible, and procedurally intact, yet structurally constrained in depth, coherence, and inclusiveness.”

The report, unveiled on Tuesday in Abuja, said what exists in many states is not democratic absence but “uneven functionality,” where institutions, elections and participation are present but do not consistently produce transparency, inclusion or protected civic freedoms.

A major finding showed that local government democracy remains particularly fragile. Although all 36 states have legal frameworks for local government elections, 10 states — including Kano, Katsina, Kogi, Lagos, Nasarawa and Yobe — do not make those laws publicly accessible, limiting citizen participation and weakening trust.

The report further revealed that nearly one-third of political parties are effectively excluded, inactive or unwilling to participate in grassroots elections despite Nigeria’s formal multiparty structure.

Across states, average party presence stands at 18, but operational participation is significantly lower, reinforcing one-party dominance at local levels.

On inclusion, the findings paint a troubling picture for women, youth and persons with disabilities. Women’s representation in commissioner-level appointments averages only 15.67 per cent nationwide — far below the 35 per cent affirmative benchmark — while 20 states have women’s representation below 15 per cent.

Although women fare better in the judiciary with 37.6 per cent average representation, persons with disabilities account for just 0.34 per cent of judicial appointments nationwide, while youth participation remains negligible.

Budget transparency also showed mixed progress. While 32 states publish citizen-friendly budgets, 20 states — representing 55.6 per cent — have no publicly available local government budget data, creating what the report described as a breakdown in the social contract between governments and citizens.

Electoral participation trends also reveal declining voter enthusiasm. Across multiple states, governorship turnout dropped significantly between 2019 and 2023 despite high PVC collection rates, suggesting that logistical barriers are not the primary problem; rather, trust, institutional credibility and civic confidence are eroding.

The report added that Nigeria’s democratic challenge is no longer simply about conducting elections but about ensuring that institutions are transparent, inclusive and responsive.

“Getting citizens to vote is no longer enough. Without strong institutions, public trust, inclusion and civic freedoms, democracy risks becoming procedural rather than meaningful,” the findings said.