BEYOND THE POLLS: THE ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES OF ELECTORAL VIOLENCE IN NASARAWA STATE, NIGERIA

This study examines the economic consequences of electoral violence in Nasarawa State, Nigeria, where recurring election-related conflict has often been discussed mainly in security and political terms rather than as a development problem. The research asks how electoral violence affects local economic activities and long-term development prospects. It adopts a convergent parallel mixed-methods design, combining a survey of 400 respondents in Karu, Lafia, and Akwanga LGAs with 15 key informant interviews and 6 focus group discussions, supported by secondary data and analysed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, ordinal logistic regression, and thematic content analysis. The findings show that 72.2% of respondents experienced electoral violence between 2015 and 2023, with political thugs identified as major perpetrators. Electoral violence was strongly associated with market closure and reduced economic recovery, while more than 60% of affected households reported financial losses above ₦50,000. Qualitative evidence further showed that violence disrupted trade, farming, supply chains, and investment confidence, while elite manipulation operated indirectly by intensifying conflict. The study concludes that electoral violence functions as a persistent economic shock that deepens vulnerability and reinforces a conflict trap. It recommends integrating economic resilience into electoral security planning, strengthening post-conflict recovery measures, and reducing the incentives for politically sponsored violence.