Election Alert: INEC requests massive N873.78bn ahead of 2027 polls

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) told the National Assembly on Thursday that it needs N873.78 billion to run the 2027 general elections. The commission also requested N171 billion to cover its operations in 2026.

INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, shared this while presenting the 2026 budget proposal and the projected cost for the 2027 elections before the National Assembly Joint Committee on Electoral Matters in Abuja.

According to Amupitan, the N873.78 billion election budget will cover all national polls in 2027. The extra N171 billion for 2026 will fund routine activities, including bye-elections and off-season elections.

He explained that the election budget is divided into five main areas:

N379.75bn for operational costs

N92.32bn for administrative costs

N209.21bn for technology

N154.91bn for election capital expenses

N42.61bn for miscellaneous costs

Amupitan added that the budget does not include a request from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) for higher allowances for corps members working as temporary election staff.

He also noted challenges like the lack of a dedicated communications network, saying that having one would help Nigerians hold the commission accountable for any technical problems during elections.

Senator Adams Oshiomhole emphasized that INEC’s budgeting should not be dictated by external agencies and called for flexible funding to avoid underfunding. Similarly, House member Billy Osawaru suggested INEC’s budget should have a “first-line charge” in the Constitution, meaning funds should be released in full and on time.

The Joint Committee recommended a one-time release of the annual budget and said it would consider the NYSC request of about N32 billion to increase allowances to N125,000 per corps member during elections.

Senators Simon Along and Bayo Balogun, chairmen of the Senate and House electoral committees, pledged to support INEC and advised the commission to be careful with promises, especially regarding election result technologies, which in 2023 were not fully in the law.

The N873.78bn requested for the 2027 elections is a large increase from the N313.4bn released for the 2023 general elections.