Whereas Nigeria is the most populous democracy in Africa; Whereas Nigeria remains one of the United States closest partners in Africa, with billions of dollars of United States aid and investment per year going towards key areas of governance, health, education, energy, and finance, and democracy in Nigeria continues to be a strategic priority; Whereas Nigeria has the largest economy in Africa and plays an essential role in the economic growth and development of West Africa and continent-wide; Whereas the United States-Nigeria trade relationship, supported by the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) ( 19 U.S.C. 3701 et seq. ) and foreign direct investment, further connects our two countries’ economies; Whereas Nigeria’s leadership in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) underscores Nigeria’s position on upholding democracy and adherence to transfer of power through constitutional means; Whereas the 2023 electoral process in Nigeria is scheduled to include a presidential election, 28 governor elections, 469 Federal lawmaker elections, and 36 State House of Assembly elections that may test the very foundation of democracy in Nigeria; Whereas the United States supports peaceful, credible elections in Nigeria in keeping with the democratic aspirations of the Nigerian people; Whereas the United States, through key multilateral and nongovernmental international organizations, has provided support to increase voter participation, access, education, and safety in elections since Nigeria’s transition to multi-party democracy in 1999; Whereas the 2019 Nigerian presidential and state-level elections were marred by election-related violence, last-minute delays, widespread vote buying, and disinformation, and had the lowest voter turnout in a presidential election since the return to civilian rule in 1999; Whereas, after the 2019 elections, Nigerian citizens made a resounding call for electoral reforms to address violence, corruption, and political party conduct within the country’s political system