Nigeria's democracy is heading for trouble if the rising influence of money in politics and electoral violence aren't checked. That was the warning from the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) and Search for Common Ground (SFCG) at a media briefing in Abuja on Thursday.

The briefing was part of the 2026 Democracy Day events, themed “Say No to Electoral Violence”. The two organisations said the monetisation of politics is shutting out ordinary citizens from political participation.

Dr. Joseph Ochogwu, the IPCR Director-General, put it bluntly: “The monetisation of politics systematically excludes a significant population of citizens from political participation. It's creating a system where access to power is increasingly determined by wealth rather than civic engagement.”

He warned that if nothing changes, democracy risks becoming an elitist system where only the rich can compete. “If the gap between the rich and the poor continues to widen and political participation remains influenced by money, democracy risks becoming an elitist system where only the wealthy can effectively compete,” he said.

Ochogwu also pointed to weak civic culture and low voter turnout as problems. He said these aren't failures of democracy itself. Instead, they stem from “inadequate citizen participation, weak democratic culture, limited civic knowledge and declining engagement in electoral and governance processes.”

Electoral violence is another big concern. Ochogwu said it suppresses voter turnout and undermines the credibility of election results. “Electoral violence not only suppresses voter turnout and discourages citizen participation. It also undermines the credibility and legitimacy of electoral outcomes,” he noted.

Gift Omonina, Director of Programmes at SFCG, called for collective action to protect democracy. “While democracy is a treasure for our country, we all need to guard it jealously, and in doing so, we must jointly work together to address the drivers of conflict in our country today,” she said.

She stressed the need for win-win solutions to insecurity, banditry, and kidnapping. Omonina also warned that young people are vulnerable to recruitment into violent extremism if they aren't meaningfully engaged.

To address this, SFCG has launched a reality television programme featuring youths from Sokoto, Katsina, and Zamfara states. The show showcases alternatives to violent extremism. “We want to showcase their journey and inspire the country that there are viable alternatives to violent extremism. With collective effort, young people can become agents of peace and change in their communities,” Omonina added.

Both organisations reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening democracy, peace, and social cohesion in Nigeria through continued collaboration.