INEC Seeks Outstanding Funds For 2027 Polls

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has urged the Nigerian Government to release its outstanding 2026 funds before the 2027 elections.

INEC Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan made the call on Tuesday during a World Press Conference in Abuja. The conference was held as preparations for the 2027 general elections entered the final 100-day countdown.

Amupitan said timely funding was critical to executing the commission’s election plans smoothly. He said the scale of the election required “robust financial backing and fiscal discipline.”

According to him, the Nigerian Government has continued to release statutory budgetary allocations to INEC. However, he said the commission was still waiting for the remaining funds.

“Executing a national election of this magnitude requires robust financial backing and fiscal discipline,” Amupitan said.

“The Federal Government has maintained its commitment to democratic governance through the timely release of statutory budgetary allocations to the commission, operating under a framework of transparent fiscal management,” he added.

Amupitan said the funds released so far had helped INEC meet international vendor obligations and finance critical election technology. He added that the money had also supported infrastructure upgrades and nationwide operational deployments.

“However, we expect the prompt release of the remaining budgets to ensure seamless execution of the activities,” the INEC chairman said.

The funding request follows INEC’s 2026 budget proposal and its projected cost for the 2027 elections.

In February, Amupitan told the National Assembly that the Nigerian Ministry of Finance had provided INEC with a N140 billion budget envelope. However, the commission’s total proposed expenditure for 2026 stood at N171 billion.

The amount included N109 billion for personnel, N18.7 billion for overheads, N42.63 billion for election-related activities and N1.4 billion for capital expenditure. INEC has also projected N873.78 billion to conduct the 2027 general elections.

The proposed election budget includes N379.75 billion for operations, N92.32 billion for administration and N209.21 billion for technology. It also includes N154.91 billion for election capital expenditure and N42.61 billion for miscellaneous expenses.

The commission’s funding concerns have featured repeatedly in its preparations for the 2027 elections. In June, INEC said it had yet to receive budgetary allocations specifically for the 2027 elections. It, however, said preparations were continuing according to the electoral timetable.

Amupitan said INEC had commenced several procurement and infrastructure projects ahead of the polls. These include the purchase of 57,000 new Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices, additional voting cubicles and new operational vehicles.

The commission is also constructing dedicated BVAS storage facilities and renovating offices across the country. It is equally upgrading its information and communications technology infrastructure to support the elections.

The presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, while the governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will be held on February 6, 2027.