A recent report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has revealed that vote buying increased by 5% in the 2023 general elections, with 22% of voters reporting they were offered money or favours in exchange for their vote.
The report, titled “Corruption in Nigeria: Patterns and trends third survey on corruption as experienced by the population,” shows a rise in vote buying compared to the 2019 elections, where 17% of voters reported similar experiences.
The NBS defines vote buying as offering money, goods, or favours in exchange for a voter’s vote. The report highlights that 22% of Nigerian citizens reported being personally offered money, while 9% were offered other favours.
While some voters were not influenced by these offers, 40% admitted to voting for the person or party that offered them money or favours. The report also notes that the proportion of Nigerians offered bribes in exchange for votes increased across sexes, urban and rural areas, and age groups between 2019 and 2023.
An analysis of vote buying by zones shows minimal changes in the South-West, South-South, and North-Central regions. However, the North-West zone saw a sizeable increase from 23% in 2019 to 44% in 2023, with 55% of citizens reporting they were offered money or favours in exchange for their vote.
