The International Republican Institute (IRI) has identified insecurity and political violence as the biggest threats to the successful conduct of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.

The institute raised the concerns as part of its pre-election assessment of Nigeria ahead of the polls.

It stressed the need for stakeholders, including the Independent National Electoral Commission, security agencies, political parties and civil society organisations, to address security challenges early enough.

The IRI also identified misinformation and disinformation as major concerns that could undermine public confidence in the electoral process and fuel tensions during the election period.

It called for stronger measures to counter false information and promote accurate, timely communication with voters.

The institute further emphasised the importance of strengthening political parties and ensuring that electoral reforms are effectively implemented ahead of the 2027 elections.

The assessment comes as INEC intensifies preparations for the general elections. The commission has said it expects to deploy about 1.4 million ad hoc personnel across more than 176,000 polling units nationwide.

The IRI urged Nigerian stakeholders to work collectively to create an electoral environment where citizens can participate freely and safely, while candidates and political parties conduct their campaigns peacefully.