The Independent National Electoral Commission has scheduled a nationwide mock accreditation exercise for November 28, 2026. This move is part of efforts to test its electoral technology and strengthen preparations for the 2027 general elections. The exercise will simulate the presidential election and test the commission's Bimodal Voter Accreditation System and electronic results transmission process across all states of the federation.
INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, announced this during a high-level dialogue at Chatham House in London. The discussion focused on Nigeria's 2027 elections, democratic development, and regional stability. Amupitan stated that the exercise would help determine whether the commission's accreditation and electronic transmission systems were sufficiently reliable ahead of the polls.
The INEC chairman addressed concerns arising from technical challenges recorded during the 2023 general elections. The commission had 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 would be equipped with multiple devices to improve efficiency and reduce accreditation delays.
The commission is constructing climate-controlled storage facilities across the states to protect its electoral equipment. This initiative aims to address previous BVAS malfunctions associated with extreme heat and storage conditions. Amupitan identified insecurity, logistics, and results management as the three major areas requiring attention ahead of the 2027 elections.
A post-election assessment of the 2023 polls showed that the most significant weaknesses in results management occurred at collation centres rather than at polling units. The commission has chosen to improve its existing electoral technology instead of introducing an entirely new system, citing the limited time available before the next general elections.
On funding, the INEC chairman confirmed that the commission had received a substantial portion of its 2027 election budget but was still awaiting the outstanding balance. Part of the expected funds will support the recruitment and welfare of ad hoc election personnel. The commission received assurances that the outstanding allocation would be released before the end of November.
The 2027 general elections are scheduled to begin with the Presidential and National Assembly polls on January 16, followed by the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections on February 6. The November 28 mock accreditation exercise is expected to provide an important assessment of INEC's technological readiness as Nigeria moves closer to another general election.
Key points
- The nationwide mock accreditation exercise aims to test INEC's electoral technology ahead of the 2027 general elections.
