By Abuja, Nigeria
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has proposed a budget of N873.778 billion for the conduct of the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed this while presenting the Commission’s 2026 budget proposal and the projected cost for the 2027 general elections before the National Assembly Joint Committee on Electoral Matters.
He clarified that the N873.778 billion required for the 2027 polls is separate from the Commission’s 2026 budget proposal, in which INEC plans to spend N171 billion on its operations, including the conduct of by-elections and off-cycle elections.
“The nearly N1 trillion election budget is structured across five major components: N379.748 billion for operational costs; N92.317 billion for administrative costs; N209.206 billion for technological costs; N154.905 billion for election capital costs; and N42.608 billion for miscellaneous expenses.”
In his remarks, Senator Adams Oshiomhole said external agencies should not dictate the budgeting framework for INEC, given the unique and sensitive nature of its mandate. He urged that the envelope system be set aside for the Commission and that Parliament should work with INEC’s actual requirements to avoid future complaints of underfunding.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on INEC, Senator Simon Lalong, assured that the National Assembly would work closely with the Commission to ensure it receives the necessary support for the successful conduct of the 2027 general elections.
Similarly, the Chairman of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, Rep. Bayo Balogun, also pledged legislative support but cautioned the Commission against making promises it may not be able to fulfill.
He recalled that during the last general election, INEC made strong assurances about uploading results to the INEC Result Viewing (IREV) portal, creating the impression that results could be monitored in real time.
