Nigeria has renewed its pledge to champion democratic values, regional collaboration, and multilateral engagement across Africa, as part of broader efforts to strengthen governance systems on the continent.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, made this known in a statement issued on Friday by the ministry’s spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, following his participation in a high-level ministerial dialogue on regional cooperation for democracy.
The forum, convened by Nigeria on the sidelines of the ongoing African Union (AU) Summit, brought together ministers from South Africa, Sierra Leone and Mauritania, alongside diplomats and representatives of the African Union Commission and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The meeting took place during the 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union in Addis Ababa.
Tuggar said Nigeria firmly believed that democratic governance in Africa could best be protected through preventive strategies rather than reactive responses, emphasising partnership, legitimacy, and public trust as core pillars.
He noted that while democratic ideals remained widely embraced across the continent, practical implementation was facing growing pressure from governance shortcomings, unmet socio-economic expectations, and declining institutional performance.
According to him, democracy must not only endure but also inspire confidence through tangible outcomes that directly impact citizens’ lives.
It was against this backdrop, he explained, that Nigeria, in collaboration with the UNDP, launched the Regional Partnership for Democracy (RPD) in November 2025 to reinforce democratic systems and institutions across the region.
Since its inauguration, Tuggar said the initiative had attracted significant interest from member states, development partners and multilateral organisations, many of which were actively engaging Nigeria on areas of cooperation and support.
He stressed that Nigeria remained open to broader partnerships, noting that the task of renewing democratic governance required collective responsibility and sustained collaboration.
Tuggar explained that the RPD was designed as a preventive framework aimed at strengthening democratic institutions ahead of crises, building public confidence, and enhancing institutional legitimacy.
The initiative, he added, focuses on improving the capacity, independence and credibility of electoral bodies, judicial institutions, legislatures and oversight agencies, while also aligning democratic governance with socio-economic development priorities.
He said citizens must experience democracy beyond elections, through improved service delivery, employment opportunities, social protection and inclusive development policies.
The minister also underscored the importance of expanding youth and women participation in governance, stressing the need for sustained investments in civic education, leadership development, political inclusion and responsible digital engagement.
He further noted that effective engagement with the RPD involved institutional capacity-building, peer-review mechanisms, knowledge exchange, technical assistance and predictable financing aligned with regional and national development priorities.
Tuggar added that strengthening collaboration with Regional Economic Communities and African Union organs was crucial for ensuring policy coherence, synergy and the long-term sustainability of democratic governance initiatives across the continent.