By Gabriel Ameh
The Federal Government has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to working with the African Union (AU) to strengthen democratic governance and support credible, peaceful and inclusive elections ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, gave the assurance on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, when he received the AU Pre-Election and Needs Assessment Mission to Nigeria, led by former Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister, H.E. Demeke Mekonnen Hassen, in Abuja.
The AU delegation is in Nigeria for a seven-day engagement to assess the country’s preparedness for the 2027 elections and engage key stakeholders on ways to support a successful electoral process.
During the meeting, Hassen thanked the Nigerian government for its cooperation and support since the mission began its engagement in the country.
He said the delegation had already met with key stakeholders, including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and civil society organisations, to obtain different perspectives on Nigeria’s level of preparedness for the elections.
The AU mission also requested the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in facilitating further engagements with institutions and stakeholders involved in the electoral process.
Hassen acknowledged the complexity of organising elections in a large and diverse democracy such as Nigeria, while stressing the country’s importance to democratic development across Africa.
He said the AU would continue to support efforts to improve inclusion, fairness and transparency in Nigeria’s electoral process in line with the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Good Governance.
Responding, Enikanolaiye welcomed the AU delegation and described its visit as timely, given that preparations for the 2027 electoral process are already underway.
The Minister commended the AU for its continued efforts to promote democratic governance and credible elections across the continent, noting that Nigeria had benefited from the organisation’s contribution to strengthening democratic practices in Africa.
Enikanolaiye assured the delegation of the full cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other relevant government institutions during its engagements.
He said the mission’s consultations with INEC, political parties, civil society organisations, security agencies, development partners and other stakeholders could provide useful insights and recommendations for strengthening Nigeria’s electoral system.
The Minister also restated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to free, fair and credible elections in 2027.
He noted that Nigeria had maintained democratic transitions since 1999 and expressed the expectation that the country would continue on that path.
Enikanolaiye further urged the AU mission to provide a balanced and objective assessment of Nigeria’s electoral processes and outcomes.
According to him, the findings and recommendations from the mission would be welcomed as a constructive contribution to ongoing efforts to strengthen democratic institutions and improve the country’s electoral processes.
The engagement further highlighted the continuing partnership between Nigeria and the African Union on democratic governance, electoral reform and peaceful transitions of power across Africa.
