The European Union, through its Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN) programme, has convened a two-day stakeholder engagement meeting aimed at improving the participation of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Nigeria’s electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The meeting organised by TAF Africa for the programme, held in Abuja on 25 and 26 August, brought together representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs), the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), civil society organisations and IDP community leaders.
The engagement focused on the implementation of INEC’s IDP Framework and efforts to address barriers preventing displaced Nigerians from exercising their right to vote as the country prepares for the 2027 elections.
Speaking at the meeting, Jennifer Dafwat, Senior Communications Officer at TAF Africa, said the engagement was intended to bring key actors together to develop practical responses to electoral exclusion.
“Today is about building a nation where no voice is left behind. In this room, we're here to tackle the issue of electoral exclusion of persons with disabilities,” she said.
She added that the meeting provided an opportunity for stakeholders to work together on solutions that would make Nigeria’s democracy more inclusive ahead of the 2027 elections.
“We have the voices necessary to ideate, identify, and produce solutions necessary for promoting an inclusive Nigeria,” Ms Dafwat said.
For millions of Nigerians displaced by conflict and other emergencies, voting can present significant logistical and security challenges. Nigeria has an estimated 4.5 million displaced people, many of whom face difficulties accessing voter registration services, collecting their permanent voter cards and reaching polling locations.
John Gwamma, chairman of an IDP camp in Borno, described the security and mobility challenges facing displaced voters, particularly those who would have to travel long distances to return to their areas of origin to vote.
“We have to travel down from Maiduguri to Gaza. But on the way to Gaza to vote, there's a very big challenge ahead of us,” he said, recalling how Boko Haram ambushed travellers on the Bama Road during the 2023 election.
He said older people, particularly those aged 70 and above, could not easily make the journey from Maiduguri to Pulka to vote.
Yagana Ali Abadam, acting Director-General of the Borno State Emergency Management Agency, called for voting arrangements that would allow displaced residents to participate without having to return to areas where they previously lived.
“We are appealing: if INEC can create a polling booth for our ward so we can vote here in Maiduguri,” she said.
Mrs Lakunuya Bello, Director of the Gender and Inclusivity Department at INEC, welcomed the engagement, saying collaboration with TAF Africa and other stakeholders could strengthen advocacy for IDPs’ participation.
“This initiative is a very wonderful initiative, and we are hoping that with this engagement, things will improve more,” she said.
She said the programme would help stakeholders understand the arrangements required to enable IDPs to vote and strengthen advocacy and sensitisation ahead of the 2027 elections.
The meeting is expected to contribute to a joint roadmap for improving voter education, advocacy and practical arrangements for displaced Nigerians ahead of the 2027 general elections.
For the stakeholders involved, the focus is now on translating the discussions into concrete measures that can remove barriers to participation and ensure that displacement does not prevent eligible Nigerians from exercising their democratic rights in 2027.
