The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has urged the Federal Government to urgently release outstanding budgetary allocations to enable it complete preparations for the 2027 general elections. INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, made the appeal on Tuesday at a World Press Conference and National Stakeholders’ Meeting. He emphasized that the commission had made significant progress in its preparations but required timely access to the remaining funds to sustain the pace of implementation.
According to Amupitan, the funds already released had enabled the commission to meet international vendor obligations, finance the production of critical election technology, upgrade infrastructure and sustain multi-stakeholder operations across the country. The INEC Chairman described the financial preparedness of the commission as a critical component of the election process. He noted that an election of the scale of the 2027 general election required not only adequate funding but also fiscal discipline.
Amupitan stressed that executing a national election of this magnitude required robust financial backing and fiscal discipline. The commission was operating within a framework of transparent fiscal management, with statutory budgetary allocations supporting its ongoing preparations. This approach, according to him, had ensured that the commission’s activities were well-planned and executed.
The funding issue comes as INEC intensifies preparations for the 2027 elections, with the commission saying it has already completed nine of the 14 critical statutory milestones contained in its revised timetable issued on February 26, 2026. Amupitan said the commission had translated the timetable into an operational execution plan covering its headquarters departments and directorates, 36 state offices, the Federal Capital Territory and all 774 local government areas.
Amupitan identified logistics, election materials and security as essential requirements for the successful conduct of the polls. He emphasized that funding was particularly important to the commission’s ability to sustain election technology, logistics and other operational requirements nationwide. The commission’s ability to deliver a seamless election process hinged on the availability of necessary resources.
The INEC Chairman also highlighted the importance of sensitive materials, agile logistic infrastructure and precision-driven intelligence-led security arrangements for seamless election delivery nationwide. He assured that the commission was committed to ensuring that the 2027 general elections were conducted in a free, fair and transparent manner.
With the release of outstanding funds, INEC aims to ensure that all critical aspects of the election process are adequately funded and executed. The commission’s preparations are ongoing, and stakeholders are eagerly awaiting the successful conduct of the 2027 general elections.
Key points
- INEC requires timely release of outstanding budgetary allocations to complete preparations for the 2027 general elections.
- The commission has completed nine of the 14 critical statutory milestones contained in its revised timetable.
- Funding is crucial for sustaining election technology, logistics and operational requirements nationwide.
