Abuja, October 7, 2026 — The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has assured Nigerians and the international community of its full commitment to neutrality, operational excellence, and the integrity of the ballot as the country begins the final 100-day countdown to the 2027 General Election.
INEC Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, delivered the assurance on Tuesday at a World Press Conference and National Stakeholders’ Meeting held at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja.
“As we begin this 100-day sprint to the 2027 General Election, we reassure the nation and the international community of our total commitment to neutrality, operational excellence, and the sacred integrity of the ballot box,” Amupitan said.
He described the milestone as “not just a countdown” but “a call to action” that marks the start of the final phase of preparations aimed at making the election a global benchmark for transparency, integrity, and peace. The Commission, he noted, has moved decisively from planning into execution, with election materials in production, technology undergoing rigorous quality assurance, the voter register finalised for public display, and staff systematically trained.
Since assuming office on 23 October 2025, Amupitan said INEC had successfully conducted major off-cycle elections, including the Anambra, Ekiti, and Osun governorship polls and the FCT Area Council elections, as well as several bye-elections. Local and international observers reported that these polls met the benchmark for electoral integrity and served as a testing ground for structural upgrades such as early deployment of personnel and materials, improved logistics, and intelligence-led security arrangements.
The Revised Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2027 General Election, issued on 26 February 2026, contains 14 statutory milestones, nine of which have already been executed. The timetable has been translated into an operational plan covering INEC’s headquarters departments, 36 state offices, the FCT, and all 774 local government area offices.
On funding, the chairman acknowledged the timely release of statutory allocations by the Federal Government, which enabled the Commission to meet vendor obligations and finance critical technology and infrastructure upgrades. He, however, called for the prompt release of remaining funds to ensure seamless completion of outstanding activities.
The Continuous Voter Registration exercise registered 10,772,421 new voters across three phases, bringing the National Register of Voters to 103 million. The register will be displayed for public scrutiny from 9 to 15 October 2026, while distribution of Phase 1 Permanent Voter Cards begins on 9 October.
Eighteen of the 22 registered political parties submitted presidential and vice-presidential candidates. The final list of National Assembly candidates was published on 12 September 2026, with the list for governorship and State Houses of Assembly candidates due on 10 October.
Procurement is advanced for 57,000 new Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices, some of which have already been delivered. Printing of ballot papers and result sheets is nearly complete. INEC has renewed memoranda of understanding with transport unions to mobilise more than 100,000 vehicles and 4,000 boats. Sensitive materials will move from Central Bank of Nigeria vaults to local government areas 72 hours before polling day and reach all 8,838 Registration Area Centres by 4:00 p.m. on the eve of the election.
A six-day stress-testing exercise of configured BVAS devices is scheduled for 23–28 October 2026, followed by a nationwide mock accreditation exercise in November. The Commission has also established an Artificial Intelligence Division within its ICT Department, operating under mandatory human oversight.
INEC will require 707,384 ad hoc personnel for each of the two election days—16 January and 6 February 2027—totalling 1,414,768 engagements across 176,846 polling units. Recruitment via the INECPRES portal opened on 18 September and closes on 18 November 2026.
Amupitan warned against the dangers of disinformation, including generative AI, voice cloning, and deepfake videos, urging the media to establish fact-checking desks, verify information with INEC, and avoid publishing privately collated results. “In national elections, it is far more important to be right than to be first,” he said. The Media Accreditation Portal is expected to go live before the end of October.
Stakeholders at the event, including representatives of the police, Inter-Party Advisory Council, National Assembly committees, and the European Union, pledged support and emphasised the shared responsibility of ensuring credible elections. The EU Ambassador announced plans to deploy an expert electoral mission to follow the process.
INEC Secretary Mrs. Rose Oriaran-Anthony thanked stakeholders and said the Commission would translate their recommendations into operational plans, stressing that the 2027 General Election “will be owned by you, by all Nigerians, not just conducted by the Commission.”
