A coalition of research and academic institutions has trained and deployed 300 volunteers to monitor political and electoral developments ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
The initiative, tagged #TrackingNaijaElection2027, is aimed at generating credible data and evidence on issues that could affect electoral integrity, security, peace and inclusive participation.
The project is being implemented by the Centre for Research on Development of African Media, Governance and Society (CEREDEMS) in collaboration with the Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies (CPSS), University of Ilorin, and the Institute of Geopolitical Communication, RUDN University, Russia.
The volunteers were onboarded during a pre-deployment workshop held on August 17, 2026, at the Innovation Hub, University of Ilorin, where they were trained on how to source, document, monitor and analyse electoral and political information.
Speaking during the training, Prof. Abdulrasaq Adisa said systematic collection of electoral data would support transparency, accountability and evidence based decision making.
Following the workshop, the volunteers were divided into clusters and assigned specific responsibilities, with their deployment commencing on August 20.
The Director of Research and Strategy, Mr Mutiu Iyanda, subsequently held virtual sessions to guide the teams on their assignments and ensure effective coordination.
The Executive Director of CEREDEMS, Associate Professor Mustapha Muhammed Jamiu, said the initiative builds on the organisation’s election monitoring activities during the 2023 general elections.
According to him, the 2027 project has expanded its focus to six key areas: information integrity, electoral governance, electoral security, electoral justice and peace, artificial intelligence and elections, and inclusive participation.
Jamiu said the project would analyse information gathered by the volunteers and transform the findings into useful insights for policymakers, civil society organisations and other stakeholders.
Also speaking, the Director of CPSS, Prof. Abdul-Jelil Gbemisola Animasawun, said the partnership was aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s democratic process and promoting sustainable peace.
He said the Centre had already begun preparations for the 2027 elections through its Guest Speaker Series for Setting the Agenda for Peaceful and Credible 2027 Elections.
Animasawun said the #Naija2027Elections Situation Room would provide a platform for continuous monitoring of electoral developments under the Nigeria Electoral Integrity & Peace Initiative (NEIPI), 2027.
Meanwhile, the volunteers received further training during a virtual masterclass held on August 29 on “Understanding Frameworks and Indices of Monitoring Nigeria’s 2027 Elections.”
Facilitator of the session, Iyanda, urged participants to focus on verified and relevant information, stressing that the objective was to transform raw data into useful insights capable of supporting electoral preparedness.
He introduced the volunteers to the project’s three stage information refinery evidence, action and learning.
A group leader in the Electoral Justice and Peace team, Alonge Sunday Temitope, said the project could help identify early warning signs of electoral violence and support proactive peace building.
Temitope identified electoral insecurity, declining public trust in institutions and voter suppression risks as some of the issues requiring sustained monitoring ahead of the 2027 elections.
He added that reliable electoral data would help citizens better understand their rights, assess security realities and make informed decisions during the elections.