Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to support the Nigerian general elections on 28 March 2015.

DFID is supporting the 2015 Nigerian elections (now scheduled for 28 March and 11 April) through a £35m programme called Deepening Democracy in Nigeria 2 (DDiN2) from 2014 – 2018. It works across the electoral cycle and strengthens broader democratic governance in Nigeria. It is seeking to improve management, security and independent observation of the 2015 Presidential, National Assembly and gubernatorial elections. It also seeks to increase engagement by the electorate in Nigerian political processes, and in particular by women, youth and people with disabilities.

DFID also works closely with the FCO, EU and US in particular to have a joined up approach to elections support.