Nigeria has called for a proactive and preventive approach to safeguarding democracy across Africa, urged stronger regional collaboration to reinforce democratic institutions before crises emerge.
The Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, made the call while speaking at a High-Level Ministerial Forum on the Regional Partnership for Democracy (RPD), held on the margins of the 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Tuggar stated that although democracy remains widely affirmed across the continent, it is increasingly being tested in practice. He observed that public confidence in democratic institutions has weakened in several countries due to governance deficits, unmet socio-economic expectations, and declining institutional performance.
“Democracy in Africa must do more than survive; it must command trust through delivery,” the Minister said, stressing that citizens must experience tangible benefits of democratic governance beyond periodic elections.
He recalled that Nigeria, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), launched the Regional Partnership for Democracy in November 2025 as a preventive initiative designed to strengthen democratic systems before breakdowns occur. According to him, the RPD aims to enhance the capacity, independence, and credibility of democratic institutions, thereby reinforcing public trust and institutional legitimacy.
The Minister noted that the initiative has already attracted significant interest from African Union Member States, multilateral institutions, and development partners. He emphasised that Nigeria remains open to broader collaboration, describing democracy as a shared enterprise that requires collective effort and sustained solidarity.
Highlighting the situation in West Africa, Tuggar said democratic governance faces multifaceted threats that go beyond military interventions. He identified weakened institutions, erosion of accountability, exclusionary political practices, and a growing disconnect between political authority and citizens as internal vulnerabilities that must be addressed.
He outlined three key priorities for strengthening democracy on the continent: building independent and credible institutions such as electoral bodies, judiciaries, legislatures, and oversight agencies; aligning democratic governance with tangible socio-economic outcomes including job creation and improved service delivery; and promoting inclusive participation, particularly among youth and women who make up the majority of Africa’s population.
Tuggar further explained that engagement under the RPD framework would include institutional capacity-building, peer-review mechanisms, civic education programmes, youth empowerment initiatives, technical support, and knowledge exchange. He also stressed the importance of predictable financing aligned with national ownership and closer coordination with Regional Economic Communities and relevant African Union organs to ensure sustainability.
Reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to democratic governance, regional cooperation, and multilateral partnership, the Minister maintained that prevention remained the most effective safeguard against unconstitutional changes of government.
“It is by strengthening democracy before it falters that we secure its future,” Tuggar declared.
