The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is considering a comprehensive audit of its electoral technology systems and the conduct of a mock presidential election as part of preparations for the 2027 general election.
INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, disclosed this while receiving the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr. Richard Montgomery, during a courtesy visit to the Commission’s headquarters on Thursday, in Abuja.
Amupitan said the proposals were informed by lessons from the 2023 general election and concerns surrounding the reliability of election technology.
He noted that the commission was examining ways to thoroughly test its systems and processes ahead of the next nationwide polls to enhance public confidence in the electoral process.
According to him, the planned audit would assess the integrity and performance of all electoral technology platforms, while the proposed mock presidential election would serve as a large-scale test run to evaluate operational readiness before the 2027 poll.
He added that both initiatives were being considered by the commission as part of ongoing reforms, and explained that although the proposals were not included in the commission’s current budget, efforts would be made to secure the necessary resources if they are approved.
He explained that strengthening technological reliability remained central to the commission’s strategy for delivering credible elections.
Amupitan also highlighted ongoing improvements to the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), and the commission’s cyber-security framework, including system redundancy, penetration testing and disaster recovery measures.
He acknowledged the support of development partners, particularly the United Kingdom and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, in advancing electoral technology and institutional capacity.
Earlier in his remarks, the British High Commissioner said that the UK had been closely monitoring INEC’s preparations for the 2027 elections and recent off-cycle polls.
As he prepares to conclude his tenure in Nigeria, Montgomery reaffirmed Britain’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s democratic process and expressed confidence that cooperation between both countries would continue under his successor.
