Electoral College Pilots Electionville Game For 100 Students On Civic Education

The Electoral College Nigeria (ECN) has adapted the Electionville Game, originally developed by the Swedish Institute, to the Nigerian context as part of efforts to make civic education more practical, relatable and engaging for young people.

The Nigerian version was piloted at the University of Jos (UNIJOS), with the support of the Embassy of Sweden, Abuja. The Electoral College Nigeria led the Nigerian contextualisation and implementation of the game.

The pilot brought together 100 students at the SSANU Hall, Permanent Site, University of Jos, for an afternoon of learning, participation and competition.

On the importance of the approach, Kunle Lawal, the executive director of Electoral College Nigeria, said civic education must move beyond simply telling young people about democracy.

“Young people need opportunities to experience democracy, engage with it and understand how their choices can shape outcomes. Tools like Electionville allow us to take learning beyond the classroom and create an experience that is practical, participatory and relatable.” he said.

According to him, beyond the game itself, the event provided an opportunity for ECN to engage informally with University of Jos students adding that the day’s activities ended with a friendly football match between ECN Associates and University of Jos students.

“As Nigeria continues to explore new and innovative ways to deepen youth participation in democratic processes, ECN remains committed to making civic education more practical, accessible and engaging.

“Through initiatives such as Electionville, the organisation is creating spaces where young people can not only learn about democracy, but actively experience and engage with it.”

LEADERSHIP reports that the session began with a Poly literacy class, where students were introduced to the basics of politics, governance and democracy, preparing them for the practical learning experience that followed.

Also, selected students for the game were divided into teams and tasked with developing manifestos, identifying priority areas and making strategic decisions as they progressed through the game.

It was gathered that unlike a conventional classroom session, Electionville allowed the students to experience some of the challenges and choices involved in democratic decision-making. They had to work together, think critically and consider how their decisions would affect their teams.

The experience quickly became competitive, but also provided an opportunity for learning and collaboration.

Meanwhile, participants who spoke after the session described the game as interesting and engaging. Some noted that it helped them understand democracy and governance better because they were able to experience the concepts rather than simply listen to explanations.

For ECN, the pilot is part of its broader commitment to strengthening political literacy and youth participation in democracy through innovative approaches.