On this International Day of Democracy, the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD-West Africa) finds it pertinent to reflect on the state of democracy in West Africa. A region once celebrated for its significant and enduring democratic gains, is unfortunately sliding back to the dark days of military dictatorship. Fears of unconstitutional change of government have become rife in the region with four out of fifteen ECOWAS member countries out of step. It is also quite worrisome that in recent years, West Africa has witnessed a rise in anti-democratic tendencies which have resulted in the reversal of democratic gains and the erosion of civil liberties and freedoms.
The coups in Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, and Niger point to a growing disillusionment with democratic governance systems, and the failure of those systems to address the issues, which matter the most to the ordinary people of the region. Yet opposition to military rule has largely weakened with Mali and Burkina Faso alone recording 40 and 37 points respectively in a 2024 report by Afrobarometer measuring the people’s perspectives on African insights on democracy risk in 30 countries. Given the correlation between democracy and development, evidences of the wide-ranging challenges of democratic (mis)governance in West Africa include grinding poverty, economic inequality, corruption, and insecurity.
Even recent salutary events in countries with resilient systems, such as Senegal, have shown that democracy is not a destination but a continually intentional decision by the people who practise it to push for its incremental improvement. Therefore, to address the troubling trend of observed reversals in democratic gains in West Africa, there is an urgent need to strengthen institutions and processes at the heart of democratic development. To this extent, CDD-West Africa urges countries in the region to reaffirm constitutional order by committing to upholding the rule of law, freedom of speech and association, and constitutional term limits. Democratic transitions should be safeguarded from manipulation that leads to power entrenchment and all shades of constitutional coups. Furthermore, political systems must become more inclusive by ensuring representation for all segments of society, particularly women, youth, and marginalised groups – including persons living with disability (PWDs). Such inclusivity fosters legitimacy and trust in democratic governance.
Electoral integrity must also be strengthened, as free, fair, and transparent elections are the bedrock of any democracy. Election management bodies (EMBs) must be empowered and granted independence, while electoral reforms must be strengthened to enhance transparency and accountability of their processes. Equally important is the need for West Africa to leverage the significance of the values and practices of democracy to bolster regional cooperation. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union (AU) must revamp and re-energize collective efforts to ensure compliance with democratic norms, values, and practices as well as to provide technical and political support to fragile democracies.
Press freedom in West Africa has been on a marked decline, with several countries restricting media independence and suppressing critical voices. In countries such as Benin, Senegal, and Sierra Leone, journalists face increasing threats of detention, harassment, and censorship, thus stifling the free flow of information that is vital for accountable governance. Similarly, press freedom in Nigeria has worsened over the years, with the country’s score dropping from 65.9 out of 100 in 2013 to 51.03 out of 100 in 2024. This alarming trend across the region demands urgent reforms to boost and reboot democracy in West Africa. A vibrant civil society and a free press are essential for holding leaders accountable. Repressive laws targeting civic actors must be repealed, and efforts should focus on creating an enabling environment for dialogue, advocacy, and media freedom. Added to this is the dire need to address the threat posed by information manipulation and the spread of disinformation. Manipulated narratives have tended to suggest that democracy is a failing system that will not take West Africans their manifest destiny. Through collective initiatives, such maligned narratives, either from domestic and foreign influence actors should be debunked, while legal systems should be strengthened to ensure technology companies on whose platforms disinformation spread are held to account.
West Africa stands at a crossroads. More than ever, regional governments and the international community must act decisively to safeguard democracy, which is the bedrock of sustainable development and stability. A necessary discussion, across the region, should take place to ensure that democracy is not only truly representative, but also achieve the aims and aspirations of those it is meant to serve. The Centre for Democracy and Development remains committed to supporting conversations and initiatives that promote and boost resiliency of democratic practices, institutions and governance across West Africa. We at CDD-West Africa wish all a happy International Democracy Day.
Dauda Garuba, PhD, Director, Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD-West Africa)