Democracy in Nigeria: Continuing Dialogue for Nation Building

A substantial body of research and knowledge has been produced on Nigeria already, so why another investigation? The simple answer lies in International IDEA's methodology. The Institute's approach to assessing democracy in Nigeria, as in any country in which it works, is based on a process of dialogue and consultation with the people who are most involved - the Nigerians themselves. The Institute brings together different groups in Nigeria - from the military to civil society, from government officials to opposition parties, from ethnic groups to traditional leaders - so they can discuss how to consolidate democracy in their country. The methodology is designed to bridge the gap between academia, political activists, practitioners and the political class. This participatory and inclusive methodology is a fundamental component of the Institute's approach to secure local ownership, maximising the prospect of long-term sustainability. This approach has been used successfully in other countries where International IDEA has worked. Issues discussed through this dialogue process cover the range of topics necessary for a thorough understanding of Nigeria's political, cultural and social environment. The assessment covers a range of topics, in three main areas: Cross-cutting issues, such as ethnicity, gender and religion;Thematic issues, such as democracy and civil society, democracy, economy and poverty, democracy,and constitutional governance and civil-military relations;Regional case studies, to take into account local and regional dynamics. It is hoped that this report will help to identify Nigeria's main democratic challenges and will provide guidance both to national policy makers, in terms of setting priorities for the democratic reform agenda, as well as assist international donors in better targeting their international assistance and democracy support policies for Nigeria.