By Gabriel Ewepu

Ahead of the 2027 general elections, the Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI) has released a major assessment indicating that Nigeria’s democracy remains active but is failing to consolidate into a mature and effective system.

The report, titled ‘The 2025 State of Democracy in Nigeria Report’, was presented on Tuesday by KDI Executive Director, Bukola Idowu.

According to the report, while elections are being conducted and democratic institutions exist across the country, these processes have not translated into accountable governance, strong institutions, or meaningful citizen inclusion.

“The state-by-state analysis of democratic performance across Nigeria presents a system that is active, visible, and procedurally intact, yet structurally constrained in depth, coherence, and inclusiveness,” the report stated.

It further noted that no state in Nigeria attained a high democratic performance threshold, with the majority falling within the low-performance category.

“Institutions are present and active, yet their effectiveness, depth, and ability to deliver accountable governance remain uneven and constrained across the federation,” it added.

The study, which forms part of the Democracy Performance Index (DPI), was based on responses from over 7,000 Nigerians, institutional checklists, and official records. Data was collected between September and December 2025 and measured across four key areas: electoral participation, institutional effectiveness, civil liberties, and political inclusion.

Bukola Idowu explained that the report was not intended to indict any individual or institution but to provide evidence-based recommendations for improving democratic governance across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

The report observed that democratic performance across states is fragmented, with strengths in one area rarely translating into gains in others. It also found no clear regional pattern in performance, as no zone consistently achieved high results across all dimensions.

KDI warned that without deliberate and multi-dimensional reforms, Nigeria’s democracy will continue to operate procedurally without achieving genuine consolidation.

The organisation called for targeted interventions in transparency, institutional effectiveness, civic space, and political inclusion to strengthen democratic outcomes at both state and national levels.