The Independent National Electoral Commission says it is strengthening voter education, election technology and security planning in an effort to improve participation and reduce misinformation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The commission’s spokesperson, Adedayo Oketola, said INEC was working with the National Orientation Agency, civil society groups and traditional rulers to encourage eligible Nigerians to participate in the electoral process. He put the voter register at more than 103 million people.
According to Oketola, the commission has been addressing obstacles to Permanent Voter Card collection while upgrading the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System and the INEC Result Viewing portal. The stated objective is to make accreditation and result verification more efficient and transparent.
He said INEC was also using voter data to plan accessibility measures for more than 232,000 registered persons with disabilities, alongside priority voting arrangements for elderly voters and nursing mothers.
The spokesperson said the commission had engaged traditional leaders in several geopolitical zones to encourage peaceful voting and was collaborating with security agencies through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security.
INEC plans to use risk mapping to identify threats affecting the country’s 176,846 polling units, Oketola said. He also cited previous off-cycle elections and by-elections as part of the commission’s preparations.
The effectiveness of these measures will depend on implementation, public trust, credible election administration and the ability of security agencies to protect voters without compromising their rights.
