INEC Announces Nationwide Mock Accreditation and Voting Exercise Ahead of 2027 Elections

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has scheduled a nationwide mock accreditation and voting exercise for November 28, 2026, across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. This exercise aims to test the commission's upgraded electoral technology ahead of the 2027 general elections. INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, announced the exercise during a high-level dialogue at Chatham House in London.

The mock exercise will simulate the presidential election, allowing the commission to verify the effectiveness of its Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and electronic results transmission arrangements. The exercise is expected to identify operational and technical weaknesses that could affect the deployment of the systems during the general elections. This move is part of INEC's efforts to address concerns about the credibility of the electoral process.

To address previous technical challenges, INEC has procured additional BVAS devices and reduced the maximum number of registered voters assigned to each machine from 1,250 to 850. Polling units with more than 850 registered voters will be provided with multiple devices to ease accreditation and reduce pressure on the machines during voting. This adjustment aims to improve the efficiency of voter accreditation and minimize delays on election day.

INEC is also constructing climate-controlled storage facilities across the states to protect its electoral equipment from extreme temperatures and other environmental conditions. This move follows concerns over the malfunctioning of BVAS devices during the 2023 general elections, which were attributed to heat and storage conditions. The chairman said INEC had considered introducing new electoral technology but decided to upgrade and strengthen its existing infrastructure due to limited time before the polls.

The commission has introduced additional technical safeguards to prevent inaccurate polling unit results and figures indicating over-voting from being uploaded to its Result Viewing Portal (IReV). These measures were informed by a post-election assessment of the 2023 general elections, which identified serious weaknesses in result management and collation. The new safeguards aim to reduce inconsistencies in the electoral process and strengthen public confidence in the results displayed on the portal.

INEC's chairman identified insecurity, logistics, and election result management as the three major operational challenges requiring sustained attention ahead of the 2027 general elections. The commission is working to strengthen its operational capacity to ensure effective deployment of election personnel, materials, and equipment across the country. Amupitan acknowledged that the controversies surrounding the 2023 presidential election had damaged public confidence in INEC.

The 2027 general elections are scheduled to begin with the presidential and National Assembly elections on January 16, 2027, while the governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections are scheduled for February 6, 2027. INEC is awaiting the release of outstanding funds for the elections, which are crucial for recruitment, training, and deployment of election officials, as well as procurement of materials and logistical arrangements.

Key points

• INEC to conduct mock accreditation and voting exercise on November 28, 2026.
• The exercise aims to test upgraded electoral technology ahead of 2027 general elections.
• INEC has introduced additional technical safeguards to prevent inaccurate results from being uploaded to its Result Viewing Portal (IReV).