Nigeria’s voter turnout has fallen in each of the past four presidential elections, while the election commission cites access barriers and a BusinessDay commentary says abstention can weaken accountability.
At a February 2026 meeting with political parties, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman Joash Amupitan reported turnout of 53.7% in 2011, 43.6% in 2015, 34.7% in 2019 and 26.7% in 2023. The series marks a decline at each presidential election.
International IDEA’s database records 26.71% for 2023, calculated by dividing 24,965,218 ballots cast by 93,469,008 registered voters listed in INEC’s election report. The report annex also prints 27.05% as turnout.
The commission’s 2023 general election report identifies polling access as one factor behind voter apathy. It says Nigeria had 119,974 polling units as the registered electorate increased from 60.82 million in 2003 to 84 million in 2019, contributing to crowding and gaps in access. In 2021, INEC recategorized 56,872 voting points as polling units, bringing the national count to 176,846. For the 2023 election, it reported an average of 529 registered voters per unit, down from 700 in 2019.
Amupitan said at the February 2026 meeting that technology alone would not be enough to bring disengaged voters back. He also called on political parties to help rebuild trust.
In a Nov. 1 commentary, Professor Ojo Emmanuel Ademola argued in BusinessDay that abstention reflects distrust over elections, unfulfilled promises and governance failures. He said communities that do not vote risk having less sway over policy and public resources. His proposed responses include more transparent elections, civic education, improved public services and wider economic opportunities.
The turnout figures document participation but do not show that low turnout itself causes weaker economic growth or investment. INEC’s calendar schedules the next presidential and National Assembly election for Jan. 16, 2027.
