THE National Assembly may soon make voting compulsory for eligible Nigerians, as the House of Representatives seeks an amendment to the Electoral Act 2022 to this effect.
The bill on the amendment, which has passed second reading, is jointly sponsored by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and Daniel Asama Ago, a lawmaker from Nasarawa and a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC)
The ICIR reports that there are, however, exceptions, including the decision not to vote based on one’s religious belief, illness, living outside Nigeria, among others.
According to the bill, the amendment seeks to address voter apathy and boost civic participation.
Speaking during Thursday’s plenary, Ago said the bill intended to redefine voting as a legal obligation rather than a voluntary act.
He referenced the 2023 general elections, where voter turnout was below 30 per cent, warning that such low participation threatened the legitimacy of elected governments.
The ICIR reported that despite over 93 million registered voters and 87 million who collected permanent voter cards (PVCs), only about 25 million Nigerians voted in the 2023 presidential election.
This translates to a turnout rate of approximately 29 per cent, marking the lowest in Nigeria’s recent electoral history. The ICIR also gathered regional disparities, with the South-East recording the lowest turnout at 22.3 per cent and the North-Central the highest at 32.83 per cent.
Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu (APC, Bende Federal Constituency, Abia State) expressed strong support for the bill. He cited countries like Australia, where mandatory voting laws have helped raise public involvement in governance and contributed to political stability.
Kalu believes a similar approach in Nigeria would instil a greater sense of civic duty and reinforce democratic accountability.
However, the proposal drew criticism from several lawmakers. Mark Esset (PDP, Eket Federal Constituency, Akwa Ibom State) voiced concern about mandating citizens to vote in the absence of significant reforms to improve the credibility of elections. “If citizens have lost faith in the electoral system, mandating them to vote won’t solve the problem,” he said.
Awaji-Inombek Abiante (PDP, Andoni-Opobo/Nkoro Federal Constituency, Rivers State) also raised issues regarding the feasibility of enforcing such a law. He questioned how it would affect Nigerians living abroad or in conflict-prone areas, and what form the penalties or enforcement mechanisms would take.
Responding to these concerns, Abbas assured the House that the bill included provisions for exemptions based on illness, religious beliefs, or residence outside the country. He said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) would be empowered to develop systems to manage compliance and process exemption requests while respecting individual rights.
The bill has been forwarded to the appropriate committee for further legislative scrutiny. If passed, Nigeria would join a small number of countries around the world that enforce compulsory voting, marking a significant shift in the nation’s approach to democratic participation.