In January 2024, IDEA alongside NOIPolls (a Nigeria-based non-governmental research organization) held two deliberative town halls between the citizens of Bende and Baruten/Kaiama and their respective representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu and Hon. Mohammed Omar Bio. The primary focus of these discussions was governance, with participants engaging in debates regarding Nigeria's progress, deliberating between "small, incremental steps" and "radical reforms" as the most effective approach.  

Although IDEA is in the preliminary stages of analyzing the survey data of the town halls, the initial findings show that the positive impact of the DTH on attendees mirrored the impact on non-attendees. This could significantly enhance democratic engagement and strengthen connections between Nigerian citizens and their representatives.  

"What we may have uncovered here, and what we're testing next, is if these "spillover" effects are a sign of deep latent demand for democratic reform in this young and quickly growing democracy," Dr. Neblo says.  
 

Marco Castradori, IDEA Fellow and PhD Candidate at Princeton University, is currently drafting an article on this fieldwork along with IDEA Director of Research Dr. William Minozzi and Dr. Neblo. IDEA looks forward to expanding our fieldwork in Nigeria and sharing more of our findings from this work.