While Nigeria has made significant improvements to the quality of its elections since the 1999 transition to civilian rule, balloting has continued to be marred by irregularities. Corruption is endemic in the petroleum industry, and security challenges\u2014including insurgencies, kidnappings, and communal and sectarian violence in the Middle Belt region\u2014threaten the basic rights of millions of Nigerians. Military and law enforcement agencies often engage in extrajudicial killings, torture, and other abuses. Civil liberties are undermined by religious and ethnic bias, while women and LGBT+ people face pervasive discrimination. The vibrant media landscape is impeded by criminal defamation laws as well as the frequent harassment and arrest of journalists who cover politically sensitive topics.<\/p>\n