Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has proposed a total budget of N873.78 billion for the conduct of the 2027 general elections. INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan presented the estimate to the National Assembly Joint Committee on Electoral Matters, outlining major cost components including operational expenses, administrative outlays, technology deployment, capital investments, and other miscellaneous items.
Technology-related spending accounts for a significant share of the projection, reflecting planned investments in electronic systems and infrastructure.
The election budget is separate from the Commission’s proposed N171 billion allocation for 2026, which is intended to cover routine activities such as by-elections and off-cycle polls.
INEC noted that the submission complies with the Electoral Act 2022, which requires the commission to present its general election budget at least one year before the polls.
Lawmakers indicated that the proposal would undergo detailed scrutiny before approval, emphasizing the legislature’s constitutional role in appropriating funds.
Discussions also covered financial provisions for National Youth Service Corps members expected to assist with election duties, with about 450,000 corps members projected for deployment.
The budget presentation comes amid ongoing legislative amendments to the Electoral Act, including renewed approval of real-time electronic transmission of polling unit results to INEC’s Result Viewing portal, while retaining manual collation as a backup in case of technical challenges.
The Senate and House of Representatives are expected to reconcile their versions of the amendment before final passage.
