With support from DAI/EUSDGN II, The Electoral Hub of Initiative for Research, Innovation and Advocacy in Development (IRIAD) established the Electoral Volunteer Information Centres (EVICs) across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Kano and Lagos States to promote citizens’ engagement and mobilize voters for the 2023 General Elections in Nigeria. The project specifically sought to provide citizens with electoral information on registration and permanent voters’ card (PVC) status, PVC collection points, polling unit (PU) location and access, and technological innovation in the country’s electoral process (the BVAS). Additionally, the project sought to promote the electoral participation of women, youths, and people with disabilities (PWDs).

With a target of reaching 50,000 persons, the project involved strategic siting of EVICs in places with high human traffic, like markets, motor parks, popular cafeterias, and meeting points. The project implementation combined liaison with relevant stakeholders and authorities with efforts to reach everyday citizens. As such, in providing knowledge and electoral assistance to citizens, The Electoral Hub established links with critical stakeholders such as the INEC Chairman, the Chairman’s Technical Team, INEC Headquarters and state offices, and other related departments (VEP, VR, ICT, EOPs) as well as market management boards, park services board and religious and cultural gatekeepers like the Onah of Abaji, who is also the Chairman FCT council of chiefs.

The project was successful despite challenges from time constraints, fuel scarcity, lack of power, paucity of cash (arising from Nigeria’s Naira redesign policy), security concerns, and deep-seated public suspicion. It reached about 100,000 persons, exceeding the target reach at inception with at least 30,000 people. Additionally, the PVC collection rate in the period leading to the 2023 general elections exceeded all previous experienced rates in the contemporary democratic dispensation of the Nigerian state.

The EVIC project was an innovative approach to improving citizens’ participation in the Nigerian electoral process. The success of the project suggests that The Electoral Hub should sustain the project while simultaneous efforts are made to mitigate challenges arising from an absence of public trust and incompatible and harsh state policies.

The specific objectives of the EVICs were:

• Bringing electoral information close to the electorates/public/citizens.
• Assisting citizens to know their PVC status and collection points.
• Sensitizing citizens about their Polling Unit (PUs) locations and access.
• Improving knowledge and understanding of the electoral process and procedures.
• Educating the public about INEC’s new technology and
• Promoting women, youths, and PWDs’ participation in the electoral process.

In other words, at the EVICs, citizens are provided with different electoral services such as assistance in checking for polling units, voter’s registration status, PVC collection centers, as well as provided information about the BVAS and other electoral information.