African democracy on the line as ‘bellwether’ Nigeria goes to polls

Presidential election comes as fuel shortages and currency woes take toll on continent’s most populous country

Nigeria’s election on 25 February has been described as pivotal to the progress of democracy in Africa, where military coups and attempts by longstanding rulers to cling to power have raised fears of a “democratic retreat” from advances made since the end of the cold war.

More than a dozen African countries go the polls in the coming 12 months, but experts agree that the presidential and parliamentary vote in the continent’s most populous country is the one that matters the most.