The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is considering conducting a mock presidential election and a comprehensive audit of its electoral technology as part of preparations for the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja while receiving the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr Richard Montgomery, during a courtesy visit to the commission’s headquarters.
Amupitan said the proposals were informed by concerns raised after the 2023 general elections, particularly regarding the reliability of election technology.
He said the commission was considering a mock presidential election to test the readiness of its processes and technology, alongside a comprehensive audit of its electoral systems before the 2027 polls.
According to him, although the initiatives were not captured in the commission’s budget, INEC would explore ways of implementing them because of their importance in improving the credibility of future elections.
He said the proposed measures formed part of wider efforts to strengthen the commission’s electoral technology, including the continued deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal.
Amupitan added that INEC was also reviewing its cybersecurity architecture, with emphasis on system redundancy, penetration testing and disaster recovery mechanisms.
He said public confidence in elections depended largely on the reliability of the commission’s technology and operational processes, adding that INEC was determined to address shortcomings identified during previous elections.
The INEC chairman identified election technology and cybersecurity as key areas of collaboration with the United Kingdom, noting that the commission had continued to benefit from technical support from the UK and other development partners, including the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES).
He reiterated INEC’s commitment to conducting credible, transparent and inclusive elections, stressing that safeguarding electoral integrity required the cooperation of political parties, security agencies, civil society organisations, development partners and citizens.
Earlier, the British High Commissioner said the UK had been following INEC’s preparations for the 2027 elections, including recent off-cycle elections in Ekiti, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Anambra, as well as preparations for the forthcoming Osun State governorship election.
Montgomery said the UK’s engagement in Nigeria’s electoral process was part of the strategic partnership between the two countries, formalised in 2024 and strengthened by President Bola Tinubu’s state visit to the UK in March.
The envoy, who is expected to conclude his tenure in about six weeks, assured the commission of the UK’s continued support under his successor as preparations for the 2027 general elections gather momentum.
