A bill proposing mandatory voting in elections for qualified Nigerians has scaled second reading at the House of Representatives.

The bill, which is sponsored by Tajudeen Abbas, speaker of the House, passed the second reading stage after an extensive debate on Thursday.

Leading the debate, Daniel Ago, the co-sponsor, said the proposed legislation seeks to amend the Electoral Act 2022 to tackle the problem of low voter turnout.

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He said compulsory voting law would increase civic engagement and voter participation, making electoral involvement a legal obligation rather than a personal choice.

Ago said the bill, if passed into law, would strengthen democracy by improving representation, foster a more politically aware country, and reduce vote buying.