House of Reps Moves to Make Voting Mandatory in Nigeria

A bill seeking to make voting compulsory for eligible Nigerians has passed second reading in the House of Representatives. The legislation, sponsored by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and Daniel Asama Ago, aims to amend the Electoral Act, 2002, to mandate voting in all national and state elections.

During Thursday’s plenary session, Rep. Ago, who represents Bassa/Jos North under the Labour Party, argued that the proposed law would reduce voter apathy and curb vote-buying. He noted that compulsory voting could significantly increase civic participation in the country’s democratic process. Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu also supported the bill, describing it as a move in the right direction and pointing to countries like Australia where such laws are already in place.

However, not all lawmakers were in agreement. Some raised concerns over the declining public trust in the electoral process, including doubts about the authenticity of the voters register.

In a related development, a separate bill seeking to amend the Labour Act to extend maternity leave for working women from three to six months was stepped down. Sponsored by Hon. Chike Okafor (Okigwe South/Imo/APC), the bill faced strong opposition, including from female lawmakers, who warned that longer leave periods could discourage employers from hiring women.

Meanwhile, in the Senate, a bill proposing the creation of the National Agency for Malaria Eradication (NAME) also passed second reading. Senator Ned Munir Nwoko (Delta North), who sponsored the bill, described malaria as a national emergency. Citing a 2024 WHO report, he emphasized that Nigeria continues to suffer the world’s highest malaria death toll, with over 184,000 deaths annually. He called for a coordinated and institutional response to the disease, which he said contributes significantly to maternal mortality and economic losses.

The Senate bill has been referred to the Committee on Health, which is expected to present its findings in four weeks.