The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has unveiled a projected budget of ₦873,778,401,602.08 for the 2027 general elections. INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, presented the proposal to the National Assembly Joint Committee on Electoral Matters alongside the Commission’s separate ₦171 billion budget for the 2026 fiscal year.
Financial Breakdown
The multi-billion naira estimate is categorized into five primary pillars:
| Category | Amount (Naira) |
| Election Operational Costs | ₦375.75 Billion |
| Election Technology Costs | ₦209.21 Billion |
| Election Capital Costs | ₦154.90 Billion |
| Election Administrative Costs | ₦92.31 Billion |
| Miscellaneous Expenses | ₦41.61 Billion |
| Grand Total | ₦873.78 Billion |
Key Focus Areas: NYSC and Technology
A significant portion of the planning involves the deployment of approximately 450,000 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members. Following requests for increased support, the proposal includes:
- ₦127,000 per corps member for election duties.
- ₦4,500 for feeding and ₦5,000 for a five-day training period.
The budget also places a heavy emphasis on Election Technology, earmarking over ₦209 billion for electronic systems and infrastructure to support the voting process.
Legislative Shift on Electronic Transmission
The budget presentation follows a period of intense legislative debate regarding the Electoral Act 2022.
Initially, the Senate faced public backlash and protests—led by figures such as Peter Obi and Rotimi Amaechi—after rejecting a mandate for the real-time electronic transmission of results. However, in an emergency session on February 10, the Senate reversed its stance.
The updated amendment now includes:
- Mandatory Electronic Transmission: Results must be uploaded to the IReV portal in real time.
- Manual Backup: Manual collation remains a secondary safeguard in the event of technical failure.
- Notice Timeline: The period for INEC to publish an election notice was reduced from 360 days to 180 days.
Next Steps
The National Assembly Joint Committee, led by Senator Samuel Lalong, has committed to a thorough scrutiny of the proposal. While INEC provides the estimates, the legislature holds the final authority on the appropriation of funds. The Senate and House of Representatives are now expected to harmonise their respective versions of the amended Electoral Act.
