With the 2027 general elections approaching, concerns are growing over the outstanding N371 billion needed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to fully implement its election preparations.
INEC had projected N873.78 billion for the 2027 general elections, covering election operations, administration, technology, capital expenditure and other related costs. About N500 billion was reportedly released to the commission in June, leaving roughly N371 billion outstanding.
The remaining funds are considered important for activities with long preparation periods, including Permanent Voter Card (PVC) production and collection, procurement of electoral materials, technology deployment, payments to contractors and nationwide logistics.
INEC’s original budget proposal included about N379.75 billion for election operations, N92.31 billion for administration, N209.21 billion for technology, N154.91 billion for capital expenditure and about N42.61 billion for miscellaneous expenses.
The funding issue has therefore shifted from simply asking whether money has been released to determining when the outstanding funds will be made available and how the first tranche has been deployed.
The commission has already begun several preparations for the elections. INEC has reported progress with Continuous Voter Registration, the preliminary voters’ register, PVC collection preparations and the procurement and distribution of non-sensitive electoral materials.
The commission also said personnel training and voter education preparations were ongoing, while improvements to the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and result-management processes were being pursued. (ABN TV)
However, questions remain over the utilisation of the N500 billion already released, including spending on procurement, contractors, PVC production, technology, transportation, staff training and voter education.
These questions do not by themselves establish wrongdoing. Rather, stakeholders are seeking greater clarity on how much has been spent, what has already been committed and which preparations remain dependent on the outstanding funds.
INEC National Commissioner Mohammed Haruna previously acknowledged the commission’s concern over funding and stressed the importance of making the required resources available.
“Certainly, we are concerned. Everyone shares this concern. Ultimately, the funds must be available. Therefore, it is encouraging news that more than half has been released,” Haruna said.
The commission has also warned that funding constraints can affect its ability to provide the personnel, materials and logistics required across the country.
INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan recently linked adequate funding directly to the successful deployment of electoral personnel and materials to local government areas, wards, registration areas and polling units.
“Sometimes, it is not what you would like to do that you are able to do because of financial constraints,” Amupitan said, stressing that available resources determine what agencies can accomplish.
He also noted that election security and logistics are closely connected, arguing that maintaining peace alone would not be enough if electoral personnel and materials could not reach polling locations.
The commission has meanwhile continued its preparations under its 2027 election timetable, with voter registration activities, PVC arrangements, procurement, staff training and voter education forming part of the work already underway.
The proposed election budget was presented to the National Assembly in February, with INEC stressing that early funding was necessary because election preparations require substantial lead time. (INEC Nigeria)
The issue of public trust has also featured in discussions around the elections. Stakeholders have called for clearer communication from INEC, transparency in the use of election funds and continued strengthening of electoral technology.
Amupitan has also urged security agencies to remain professionally neutral and improve intelligence gathering ahead of the polls, warning that insecurity could prevent voting in some areas and affect confidence in the electoral process.
With the elections drawing closer, the release of the outstanding N371 billion remains a major issue for INEC’s preparations, while the commission’s use of the funds already released is also likely to receive increasing scrutiny.
