Escaping the Deliverism Trap: Recognition and Representation in Nigerian Democracy examines whether meaningful engagement between citizens and elected representatives can strengthen democratic trust even when representatives do not provide immediate material benefits.

The study focuses on what Marco Castradori calls the “deliverism trap.” In contexts where citizens have difficulty observing legislators’ work, visible projects and direct material assistance can become the primary evidence that representatives are working on their behalf. This can place pressure on legislators to prioritize short-term, visible benefits over less visible legislative and programmatic work. Castradori_NigeriaDTH_APSAPaper…

Castradori tested whether Deliberative Town Halls could provide citizens with another way to evaluate representation. The study used a cluster-randomized field experiment in three Nigerian federal constituencies — Bende, Obio-Akpor and Ikole/Oye. Citizens in selected communities were invited to local venues, where they questioned their member of the House of Representatives, who participated live by video from Abuja. Participants were surveyed before and after the town halls. Castradori_NigeriaDTH_APSAPaper… Castradori_NigeriaDTH_APSAPaper…

The results show that assignment to a Deliberative Town Hall improved citizens’ evaluations of their representative, strengthened their sense of political standing, and increased trust in elected officials. It also increased satisfaction with democracy and political hope. However, the intervention did not change the priority citizens placed on immediate material delivery from their representatives. Castradori_NigeriaDTH_APSAPaper…

The findings suggest that deliberative engagement can broaden the ways in which citizens judge representation by making listening, explanation, accessibility, and respect more visible. At the same time, a single encounter does not replace citizens’ demand for material results, raising questions about whether repeated and sustained engagement could produce longer-term changes in citizen-representative relationships.