The agreement was signed yesterday in Abuja, with Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, hailing it as a landmark step in fostering “a stable, people-driven democratic environment” across the continent.

Speaking at the ceremony, Tuggar emphasized that the RPD addresses long-standing governance challenges facing many African nations, including fragile institutions, low citizen engagement, and escalating political violence. 

He pointed to ongoing struggles with credible elections, unconstitutional changes of government, and the spread of misinformation as key issues the partnership aims to tackle.

“The RPD is a home-grown African response rooted in our own values and realities,” the minister said, describing the initiative as President Bola Tinubu’s personal contribution to continental democratic resilience.

Under the agreement, the RPD Secretariat will be housed at Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while its technical operations will be supported from the office of the UN Resident Coordinator in Abuja.

Although Nigeria and the UN are the founding signatories, Tuggar confirmed the partnership remains open to all West African countries and will eventually expand to other African regions seeking sustainable democratic solutions.