Nigeria Seeks Continued UK Support for Democracy and Electoral Reforms

Deputy Speaker of Nigeria's House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has appealed to the United Kingdom to maintain its technical support for the nation's democratic processes. Kalu specifically requested continued assistance from the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) for democratic governance, electoral integrity, and institutional reforms.

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On behalf of the House of Representatives and the leadership of the National Assembly, I convey our sincere gratitude to the UK Government and the FCDO for their continued partnership.

During a meeting with senior FCDO officials in London, Kalu acknowledged the strong historical ties and shared commitment to constitutional democracy between Nigeria and the UK. He expressed gratitude for the UK's ongoing partnership in strengthening Nigeria's democratic institutions, citing support for legislative capacity building, evidence-based policymaking, transparency, electoral reform, and citizen participation.

Kalu, who also chairs the House Committee on Constitution Review, emphasized the critical need for sustained technical assistance, comparative learning, and inclusive public consultations. These efforts are vital for ongoing constitutional reforms aimed at addressing issues of inclusion, federalism, devolution of powers, local governance, security architecture, and enhancing representation for women, youth, and persons with disabilities.

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Our partnership has contributed meaningfully to strengthening the legislative environment for democratic governance in Nigeria.

The Deputy Speaker also highlighted progress in Nigeria's electoral reforms, drawing lessons from the 2023 general elections. He noted improvements under the 2026 Electoral Act, which has strengthened the legal framework by statutorily recognizing the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the electronic transmission of election results, while clarifying legal jurisdictions and timelines for pre-election litigation.

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The constitutional review process remains central to addressing questions of inclusion, federalism, devolution, electoral integrity, local governance, security architecture and the representation of women, young people and persons with disabilities.