A bill seeking to make voting compulsory for eligible Nigerians and penalize those who abstain has passed second reading in the House of Representatives.
The proposed legislation, championed by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, aims to amend the Electoral Act 2022 to enforce mandatory voting in all national and state elections. Under the bill, any Nigerian of voting age who fails to cast their ballot could face up to six months in prison or a fine of up to ₦100,000.
Debated extensively on Thursday, the bill titled “An Act to Amend the Electoral Act 2022 to Make it Mandatory for all Nigerians of Majority Age to Vote in all National and State Elections and for Related Matters” has stirred fresh conversations around civic responsibility and electoral participation.
Currently, Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution (as amended) guarantees citizens aged 18 and above the right to vote but stops short of making it a compulsory civic duty. Similarly, the Electoral Act outlines voting procedures and regulations without imposing penalties for abstention, a design some argue is deliberate rather than an oversight.
If passed into law, the bill would mark a significant shift in Nigeria’s democratic framework, transforming voting from a right into a legal obligation with enforceable consequences.
