The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is weighing plans to carry out a comprehensive audit of its electoral technology and organise a mock presidential election as part of measures aimed at improving its preparedness for the 2027 general election.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), disclosed the proposals on Thursday while hosting the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr. Richard Montgomery, during a courtesy visit to the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
According to Amupitan, the planned initiatives are being considered in response to issues that emerged during the 2023 general election, particularly concerns surrounding the performance and reliability of election technology.
He said the commission was exploring the possibility of evaluating all its electoral systems before the next general election and conducting a trial presidential poll to assess the effectiveness of its technology and operational processes.
He said, “The commission was looking at the possibility of auditing all its systems ahead of the 2027 election, as well as conducting a mock presidential election, to test the readiness of its processes and technology before the actual polls.”
The INEC chairman acknowledged that the proposed exercises were not captured in the commission’s budget but said efforts would be made to implement them because of their importance in enhancing the integrity of future elections.
He explained that the initiatives form part of wider reforms focused on improving technological efficiency, including the continued use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), as well as an ongoing review of the commission’s cyber-security framework covering system redundancy, penetration testing and disaster recovery mechanisms.
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Amupitan stressed that confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process depends significantly on the dependability of the commission’s technology and operational systems.
He said, “INEC remained committed to addressing any gaps identified from previous elections ahead of 2027.”
The chairman identified election technology and cyber-security as major areas of cooperation between INEC and the United Kingdom, adding that the commission values the technical support it receives from the UK and other development partners, including the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, in strengthening Nigeria’s electoral system.
He also reaffirmed the commission’s resolve to conduct elections that are credible, transparent and inclusive.
According to him, “Electoral credibility remained a shared responsibility requiring the cooperation of political parties, security agencies, civil society, development partners and citizens.”
Speaking earlier, Montgomery said the UK had been monitoring INEC’s preparations for the 2027 general election, including recent off-cycle elections in Ekiti, the Federal Capital Territory and Anambra, as well as preparations for the forthcoming Osun State governorship election.
He said the British Government’s interest in Nigeria’s democratic development reflects both moral and practical support, referencing the strategic partnership signed by Nigeria and the United Kingdom in 2024, as well as President Bola Tinubu’s state visit to the UK in March.
Montgomery, who disclosed that his tenure would end in about six weeks, assured the commission that British support would continue under his successor.
He expressed confidence that the incoming British High Commissioner would maintain a strong working relationship with INEC as preparations for the 2027 general election progress.