By Perpetua Onuegbu
In a nation where electoral processes often determine the direction of governance, development, and democratic stability, the role of civil society organisations (CSOs) has grown from peripheral advocacy to a central pillar in protecting Nigeria’s democracy.
Over the years, CSOs have increasingly stepped forward as watchdogs, educators, mediators and defenders of citizens’ rights, particularly during elections.
Their activities have helped shape the credibility of the electoral system, strengthen institutions, and amplify the voices of ordinary Nigerians earnestly yearning for free, fair, and credible elections.
One of the most visible contributions of CSOs is voter education.
Indeed, organisations like Yiaga Africa, CLEEN Foundation, CISLAC, Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) and Connected Development (CODE) have consistently championed nationwide campaigns, encouraging citizens to register, collect their permanent voter cards (PVCs) and participate actively in the electoral process.
Through town halls, digital campaigns, grassroots sensitisation, and youth-focused programmes, CSOs have helped campaign against electoral apathy and misinformation.
In rural communities especially, these organisations have become bridges—explaining voting procedures, rights and responsibilities in local languages.
Their sustained advocacy has not only increased voter turnout in elections but also empowered them with knowledge that reduces electoral manipulation. They have also embraced technology to reinforce electoral transparency.
Initiatives, such as CODE’s “Uzabe”, Yiaga Africa’s “Watching the Vote”, and Kimpact Development Initiative’s ‘NaijaElection’ platforms have leveraged real-time data, citizen observers and digital reporting tools to monitor elections across thousands of polling units.
KDI, in its final assessment of the Anambra governorship election held on Nov. 8, 2025, said it ensured that the will of the citizens was not thwarted across the pre-election, election day, and post-election phases.
Through the Strengthening Electoral Accountability Project (SEAP), supported by the U.K. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), the CSO intervened in critical areas, namely: ballot integrity, political finance monitoring, and citizen participation through technology.
It is believed that all these efforts have helped improve voter turnout during the governorship election, rising to 21.34 per cent from 10.26 per cent in the 2021 governorship election.
Civil society organisations have been at the forefront of advocating electoral reforms and policy improvements in the country.
Aside from election day monitoring, they have championed long-term reforms vital to credible elections.
From lobbying for improved technology, such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), to leading campaigns for the passage of the Electoral Act 2022, civil society organisations have consistently employed research, legislative advocacy, and citizen pressure to demand modern, transparent electoral processes.
In September 2025, PLAC, in collaboration with the U.K. International Development, supported a National Public Hearing on Constitution Alteration Bills by the House of Representatives Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution.
PLAC was able to galvanise diverse groups, ranging from women and youths to vulnerable groups, to make inputs on the changes they wanted to see in the constitution.
The organisation also carried out a nationwide survey on Nigeria’s ongoing Constitution Review, revealing public support for constitutional reforms and national consensus on key governance issues.
The Executive Director of PLAC, Clement Nwankwo, said that the survey, conducted in November 2025 across all 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), showed overwhelming support for the reforms to the constitution.
Nwankwo said that the findings demonstrated that calls for constitutional reforms reflected widely shared national aspirations, offering the National Assembly clear, evidence-based guidance on citizens’ expectations as the review process continued.
Through policy briefs, public hearings and engagements with the National Assembly, these organisations have helped shape provisions that strengthen INEC’s independence, enhance political party financial transparency and introduce more stringent penalties for electoral malpractice.
Against the backdrop of allegations that elections are often marred by vote-buying, excessive spending, and opaque funding sources, CSOs have engaged in monitoring campaign finance and highlighting noticeable irregularities.
Groups like CISLAC, SERAP, and BudgIT have also advocated for greater transparency in political financing, as well as for tracking the sources of funds and their spending by political parties.
Their reports exposed loopholes, highlighted the risks of corruption, and pushed for stronger regulations to limit undue financial influence during elections.
The Director of the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), Dr Dauda Garuba, attributed election malpractices to the high cost of election financing in Nigeria.
Garuba noted that the high cost of election financing, including exorbitant fees for nomination forms and unchecked campaign spending, had continued to shut out ordinary citizens and encourage corruption in politics.
According to him, political parties usually charge amounts far beyond the reach of average Nigerians who may wish to contest for public offices.
“These financial barriers not only discourage youth participation, but also fuel the desperation of politicians who seek to recover their investments through looting, once elected,” he said.
CSOs have also played crucial roles in promoting peace through early warning systems, conflict-sensitive reporting and community mediation.
Initiatives such as the Situation Room and various inter-faith dialogues have created platforms where stakeholders—traditional rulers, youth groups, security agencies and political actors—come together to diffuse tensions before they spiral into violence.
On election days, CSOs often collaborate with security agencies to track security breaches and ensure proportional and lawful responses that do not infringe on voters’ rights.
Where journalists, activists, or voters face threats, intimidation, or unlawful arrests, civil society groups frequently step in as defenders of human rights, while, through legal support, media advocacy, and emergency response teams, they ensure citizens’ participation in the election process.
The recent release of Emmanuel Acha, an Ebony-based human rights activist, after spending 200 days in detention, is a case in point.
Acha’s release was said to be occasioned by the intervention of Action Group on Free Civic Space (AGFCS), Spaces for Change (S4C) and other CSOs through sustained advocacy and legal support.
Also, in their efforts to ensure credible elections and good governance, CSOs hold INEC, political parties, and security agencies accountable for any breaches.
Despite their impact, CSOs face significant obstacles, including funding constraints, security risks, political pressure, and limited access to information, which often limit the scale of their performance.
Many groups have also been painted as partisan, even though the resilience of some of them has kept them central to the country’s democratic progress.
Stakeholders believe that as Nigeria moves towards future elections, particularly the 2027 polls, the role of CSOs will only grow in importance.
They therefore stressed the need to strengthen collaborations among CSOs, INEC, the media, and communities to close gaps in logistics, technology, security, and citizens’ trust.
The stakeholders also propose more investment in civic education, digital tools and grassroots networks to ensure that CSOs remain effective guardians of democratic integrity.
At the heart of these efforts, according to them, is a simple but powerful belief that credible elections are the lifeblood of democracy.
The stakeholders also submit that CSOs should continue to act as the conscience of the electoral process—standing with citizens, challenging institutions and safeguarding free and fair elections.