Despite progress over the past four years, many roadblocks to strengthened democracy in Nigeria still remain. Political elites are entrenched, excluding most citizens, particularly women and the poor, from meaningful political participation. The scale and prevalence of conflict, triggered by communal, ethnic, religious or resource issues, poses a major threat to stability in Nigeria. Endemic corruption is a key governance issue that has directly touched the daily lives of the majority of Nigerians. The structure of government and the concentration of power at the center and in the executive have reduced incentives for reform. Civil society has been freed of many of the constraints it faced under military rule, but still lacks both the capacity and the resources it needs to truly engage with government and advocate for change. Government institutions, for their part, have by and large not established partnerships with citizens or private sector actors, and themselves lack capacity to carry out their own mandates.

To address these roadblocks, SO11 will build the capacity of civil society and legislative bodies, support efforts to respond to and manage conflict, and address the need for professionalism and transparency in the next elections. Civil society is central to making government more responsive and accountable through advocacy and oversight. The National Assembly serves to balance power within government and its directly-elected representatives of the people are a lodestar for civil society engagement. Frequent conflict perpetuates poverty, discourages investment, and compromises overall social and economic development. Properly managed elections whose results are accepted and agreed to by the people are the cornerstone of democracy. Progress in the achievement of the SO will be measured by increased levels of public confidence in democracy, and civil society policy input.