IFES Election Guide | Country Profile: Nigeria

Federal Republic of Nigeria

225,082,083
Population (as of Feb. 9, 2023)

93,469,008
Registered Voters (as of None)

46.09%
Average Turnout

21
Elections in our database

V-Dem* Score: 0.502
Regimes of the World Classification: Electoral Democracy
*Varieties of Democracy Electoral Democracy Index (2024)

CEDAW Status: Signed and Ratified
Signed Date: April 23, 1984
Ratified Date: June 13, 1985

SIGI* Score: 39.5
Level of Discrimination: Medium
*Social Institutions and Gender Index (2023)

CRPD Status: Signed and Ratified
Signed Date: March 30, 2007
Ratified Date: Sept. 24, 2010

HDI* Score: 0.560
Category: Medium
*UNDP Human Development Index (2023)

Name	Official Name	Type
Nigerian House of Representatives		Lower House
Nigerian Senate		Upper House
Nigerian Presidency	None	Head of State & Government

Description of government structure:

Chief of State: President Muhammadu BUHARI*
Head of Government: President Muhammadu BUHARI
Assembly: Nigeria has a bicameral National Assembly consisting of the Senate with 109 seats and the House of Representatives with 360 seats.

Description of electoral system:

The President is elected by qualified plurality vote to serve a 4-year term. An absolute majority or at least 25% in two-thirds of the states is required for a candidate to be elected in the first round.
In the Senate 109 members are elected by simple majority vote in single-member constituencies to serve 4-year terms. Each of the 36 states is divided into three senatorial districts. One senator is elected from each of these districts and the Federal Capital Territory. In the House of Representatives 360 members are elected by simple majority vote in single-member constituencies to serve 4-year terms.

Elections

2023-02-25 | Status: Held
Nigerian Senate
Votes -
Registered 93,469,008
Turnout -

2023-02-25 | Status: Held
Nigerian House of Representatives
Votes -
Registered 93,469,008
Turnout -

2023-02-25 | Status: Held
Nigerian Presidency
Votes -
Registered 93,469,008
Turnout -

2019-02-23 | Status: Held
Nigerian House of Representatives
Votes 27,324,583
Registered 84,004,084
Turnout 32.53

2019-02-23 | Status: Held
Nigerian Senate
Votes 28,614,190
Registered 84,004,084
Turnout 34.06

2019-02-23 | Status: Held
Nigerian Presidency
Votes 28,614,190
Registered 82,344,107
Turnout 34.75

2015-03-28 | Status: Held
Nigerian House of Representatives
Votes 26,432,083
Registered 67,422,005
Turnout 39.2

2015-03-28 | Status: Held
Nigerian Senate
Votes -
Registered 68,833,476
Turnout -

2015-03-28 | Status: Held
Nigerian Presidency
Votes 29,432,083
Registered 67,422,005
Turnout 43.65

2011-04-16 | Status: Held
Nigerian Presidency
Votes 39,469,484
Registered 73,000,000
Turnout 54.07

2011-04-09 | Status: Held
Nigerian House of Representatives
Votes -
Registered 73,000,000
Turnout -

2011-04-09 | Status: Held
Nigerian Senate
Votes -
Registered 73,000,000
Turnout -

2007-04-21 | Status: Held
Nigerian House of Representatives
Votes -
Registered 58,000,000
Turnout -

2007-04-21 | Status: Held
Nigerian Presidency
Votes 35,397,517
Registered 61,567,036
Turnout 57.49

2007-04-21 | Status: Held
Nigerian Senate
Votes -
Registered 58,000,000
Turnout -

2003-04-19 | Status: Held
Nigerian Presidency
Votes 42,018,735
Registered 60,823,022
Turnout 69.08

2003-04-12 | Status: Held
Nigerian Senate
Votes 29,995,171
Registered 60,823,022
Turnout 49.32

2003-04-12 | Status: Held
Nigerian House of Representatives
Votes 30,386,270
Registered 60,823,022
Turnout 49.96

1999-02-20 | Status: Held
Nigerian Presidency
Votes 30,280,052
Registered 57,938,945
Turnout 52.26

1999-02-20 | Status: Held
Nigerian Senate
Votes 24,386,247
Registered 57,938,945
Turnout 42.09

1999-02-20 | Status: Held
Nigerian House of Representatives
Votes 23,573,407
Registered 57,938,945
Turnout 40.69

Election For	Date	Status	Votes	Registered Voters	Turnout
Nigerian Senate	2023-02-25	Held	-	93,469,008	-
Nigerian House of Representatives	2023-02-25	Held	-	93,469,008	-
Nigerian Presidency	2023-02-25	Held	-	93,469,008	-
Nigerian House of Representatives	2019-02-23	Held	27,324,583	84,004,084	32.53
Nigerian Senate	2019-02-23	Held	28,614,190	84,004,084	34.06
Nigerian Presidency	2019-02-23	Held	28,614,190	82,344,107	34.75
Nigerian House of Representatives	2015-03-28	Held	26,432,083	67,422,005	39.2
Nigerian Senate	2015-03-28	Held	-	68,833,476	-
Nigerian Presidency	2015-03-28	Held	29,432,083	67,422,005	43.65
Nigerian Presidency	2011-04-16	Held	39,469,484	73,000,000	54.07
Nigerian House of Representatives	2011-04-09	Held	-	73,000,000	-
Nigerian Senate	2011-04-09	Held	-	73,000,000	-
Nigerian House of Representatives	2007-04-21	Held	-	58,000,000	-
Nigerian Presidency	2007-04-21	Held	35,397,517	61,567,036	57.49
Nigerian Senate	2007-04-21	Held	-	58,000,000	-
Nigerian Presidency	2003-04-19	Held	42,018,735	60,823,022	69.08
Nigerian Senate	2003-04-12	Held	29,995,171	60,823,022	49.32
Nigerian House of Representatives	2003-04-12	Held	30,386,270	60,823,022	49.96
Nigerian Presidency	1999-02-20	Held	30,280,052	57,938,945	52.26
Nigerian Senate	1999-02-20	Held	24,386,247	57,938,945	42.09
Nigerian House of Representatives	1999-02-20	Held	23,573,407	57,938,945	40.69

Voter Turnout

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