From Victor Osula, Abuja
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday informed the National Assembly that it requires a record ₦873.78 billion to conduct the 2027 general elections, warning that adequate funding is critical to avoid operational disruptions.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, made the disclosure while presenting the Commission’s 2026 budget proposal and the projected cost for the 2027 polls before the National Assembly Joint Committee on Electoral Matters in Abuja.
Amupitan, who succeeded Prof. Mahmood Yakubu in October 2025, noted that the ₦873.78 billion covers the full conduct of national elections, while an additional ₦171 billion is required to support routine operations in 2026, including by-elections and off-season polls.
The nearly ₦1 trillion election budget is structured across several key areas: ₦379.75 billion for operational costs, ₦92.32 billion for administrative costs, ₦209.21 billion for technological costs, ₦154.91 billion for election capital costs, and ₦42.61 billion for miscellaneous expenses.
Amupitan noted that the proposed budget does not include a fresh request from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) seeking increased allowances for corps members engaged as ad-hoc election staff.
He explained that the budget was prepared in line with Section 3(3) of the Electoral Act 2022, which mandates INEC to submit its election budget at least one year before a general election.
On the 2026 fiscal year, the INEC chairman disclosed that while the Ministry of Finance provided an envelope of ₦140 billion, INEC is proposing total expenditures of ₦171 billion.
This includes ₦109 billion for personnel costs, ₦18.7 billion for overheads, ₦42.63 billion for election-related activities, and ₦1.4 billion for capital projects.
The INEC chairman highlighted that the envelope budgeting system is unsuitable for the Commission, citing the need for urgent and flexible funding.
He also pointed to the lack of a dedicated communications network as a major operational challenge, stating that developing such infrastructure would allow Nigerians to hold the Commission accountable for any technical issues.
Senator Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North) called for external agencies to stop dictating INEC’s budget framework, stressing the sensitive nature of the Commission’s mandate and urging full adoption of its financial proposal.
Similarly, House member Billy Osawaru recommended that INEC’s budget be placed on a first-line charge to ensure the timely release of funds.
The Joint Committee approved a motion recommending the one-time release of INEC’s annual budget. It also agreed to consider the NYSC’s request for approximately ₦32 billion to raise allowances for corps members to ₦125,000 per election duty.
Senator Simon Lalong, Chairman of the Senate Committee on INEC, assured the Commission of legislative support to secure the necessary funding.
However, Bayo Balogun, Chairman of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, warned INEC against making promises it cannot fulfill, citing previous issues with the INEC Result Viewing portal (iReV) during the 2023 elections.
The ₦873.78 billion proposed for the 2027 polls represents a significant increase from the ₦313.4 billion released for the 2023 general elections, underlining the growing financial demands of conducting credible elections in Nigeria.
