..Proposed budget triples 2023 election spending
…Seeks ₦171bn extra for 2026 operation
Daud Olatunji
The Independent National Electoral Commission has requested over ₦1.04tn to finance its 2026 operations and conduct the 2027 general elections, a proposal that has triggered fresh scrutiny over the rising cost of elections and the integrity of the nation’s electoral framework.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed this on Wednesday while defending the commission’s budget before the National Assembly Joint Committee on Electoral Matters in Abuja.
A breakdown of the proposal shows that ₦873.78bn is earmarked for the 2027 general elections alone — nearly three times the ₦313.4bn released for the 2023 polls. In addition, the commission is seeking ₦171bn to fund its 2026 activities, including bye-elections and off-cycle governorship polls.
Amupitan explained that the proposal was in line with the Electoral Act 2022, which mandates the commission to prepare its budget at least one year ahead of a general election.
He, however, raised concerns over funding gaps, noting that the ₦140bn reportedly provided by the Ministry of Finance for 2026 operations was inadequate to meet the commission’s urgent and flexible expenditure needs.
According to him, the ₦873.78bn proposed for 2027 would cover operational, administrative, technological, capital and other miscellaneous expenses. The ₦171bn for 2026, he added, would cater for personnel costs, overheads, election-related activities and capital projects.
The sharp increase in projected spending has sparked debate among stakeholders, with calls for transparency, prudent management of public funds and guarantees that the huge allocation would translate into credible and technologically sound elections.
The funding request comes amid renewed controversy over ongoing amendments to the Electoral Act ahead of the 2027 elections.
On Tuesday, the Senate amended Section 60 of the Act to make electronic transmission of results from polling units to INEC’s Result Viewing Portal mandatory.
Under the revised provision, presiding officers are required to electronically transmit results after completing and signing Form EC8A at polling units.
However, the amendment also provides that where electronic transmission fails due to communication or network challenges, the manually completed Form EC8A shall serve as the primary basis for collation and declaration of results.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, who presided over the plenary, said the amendment sought to rescind an earlier decision on Section 60(3) of the Act and to provide a legal safeguard in cases of technical failure.
While proponents argue that the manual fallback clause is necessary to address network limitations in remote areas, critics warn that it could reopen familiar loopholes and undermine public confidence in the electoral process.
With preparations for the 2027 elections expected to gather momentum in the coming months, attention is likely to remain fixed on both INEC’s record-breaking budget proposal and the evolving legal framework that will shape the conduct of the polls.
For PLATFORM TIMES, the unfolding developments underscore the delicate balance between adequate funding, technological advancement and the urgent need to safeguard electoral credibility in Nigeria’s democracy.
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