The European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS has dismissed reports that it will withdraw from observing Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, saying it will instead deploy a smaller Electoral Expert Mission.
The delegation said the mission will comprise between two and four independent experts who will be formally accredited by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as observers.
In a statement issued on Monday, August 10, signed by the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, the EU Delegation said it was surprised by reports claiming that it had rejected an invitation from INEC to observe the 2027 elections.
The delegation also urged journalists and members of the public to verify reports concerning the EU’s position directly with its press and communication office.
“The European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS has noted with surprise inaccurate press reports published today stating that it had sent a letter to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declining an invitation to observe the 2027 polls in Nigeria and citing in the correspondence two reasons for this decision: the worsening security situation across the country and the hostile treatment of its observers and officials after the publication of its final report on the 2023 general election.”
According to the delegation, INEC formally invited the EU to observe the elections in a letter dated April 17, 2026.
The EU said it responded to the commission on July 28, informing INEC that it would deploy an Electoral Expert Mission (EEM) for the election.
The mission will consist of two to four independent experts who will receive formal accreditation from INEC.
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Explaining the mandate of the mission, the EU Delegation said:
“An EEM, like an Electoral Observation Mission, assesses whether the electoral process is conducted in line with international, regional and national obligations and commitments on the conduct of democratic elections to which the country has subscribed.
“The EEM submits a final report with recommendations on how to improve the electoral framework and future electoral processes, the report will be shared with the government, and if they agree, it can also be released to the wider public.”
The delegation also rejected claims that insecurity or alleged hostility towards EU observers following the publication of its 2023 election report influenced the decision to deploy an EEM instead of a larger Electoral Observation Mission.
“The EU Delegation further underlines that the two alleged reasons mentioned in the press reports do not appear in the letter: these are pure speculations,” it said.
The EU explained that it determines each year which electoral missions to send to partner countries that extend invitations, as well as the appropriate type of mission, based on the circumstances in each country and the resources available.
“It is on this basis that the decision to conduct an EEM in Nigeria has been taken and will be further consulted with the relevant Nigerian authorities for its implementation,” the statement said.
The delegation stressed that the decision to deploy an Electoral Expert Mission would not diminish the EU’s broader support for Nigeria’s democratic institutions or electoral processes.
“This decision does not affect in any way the continuation of the implementation of the EU-funded project ‘Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria’ including its dimension of support to the electoral process,” it said.