Nigeria Stands Risks -2027
The stakes are unusually high: the economy is under intense pressure from inflation, unemployment and widening inequality; insecurity persists in multiple regions, from banditry and terrorism in the North to communal clashes and militancy in the South; and public institutions are grappling with questions about their credibility, autonomy and capacity.
Nigeria stands at a defining moment in its democratic journey as it approaches the 2027 general elections. The stakes are unusually high: the economy is under intense pressure from inflation, unemployment and widening inequality; insecurity persists in multiple regions, from banditry and terrorism in the North to communal clashes and militancy in the South; and public institutions are grappling with questions about their credibility, autonomy and capacity. At the same time, the information environment is being transformed by new technologies—artificial intelligence, deepfakes and coordinated online manipulation—which have the power to shape public opinion, undermine trust and disrupt electoral processes on an unprecedented scale. Together, these pressures form a complex web of 5 identifiable risks, ranging from cyber threats to physical violence, and from voter apathy to vote-buying. If left unaddressed, they could weaken voter confidence, depress turnout, distort political competition and even ignite post-election instability. This policy brief maps those risks and offers a practical roadmap for government, civil society, and private actors to prevent, mitigate and respond to them in time to secure the credibility of Nigeria’s 2027 elections.
