INEC Requests ₦874b To Conduct 2027 General Elections

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has put forward a budget of ₦873.778 billion to finance the conduct of the 2027 general elections.

The electoral body is also pushing for the approval of a separate ₦171bn to fund its 2026 operations.

This was disclosed on Thursday by INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, while defending the Commission’s budget proposals before the National Assembly Joint Committee on Electoral Matters.

Amupitan explained that the nearly ₦874bn earmarked for the 2027 polls is separate from the proposed ₦171bn 2026 budget, which is meant to cover routine administrative activities, by-elections and off-cycle governorship contests.

A breakdown of the 2027 estimate shows that ₦379.748bn is allocated for operational expenses, ₦92.317bn for administrative costs, ₦209.206bn for technology, ₦154.905bn for capital expenditure and ₦42.608bn for miscellaneous items.

However, the figure excludes a fresh request by the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) seeking an upward review of allowances for corps members who serve as ad hoc staff during elections.

For 2026, Amupitan explained that although the Ministry of Finance issued a budget ceiling of ₦140bn, the Commission requires ₦171bn to meet its obligations.

The proposed sum comprises ₦109bn for personnel costs, ₦18.7bn for overheads, ₦42.63bn for election-related activities and ₦1.4bn for capital projects.

The INEC boss criticised the envelope budgeting system, arguing that it fails to reflect the operational realities of an electoral body that often requires urgent and flexible funding, especially in the build-up to major elections. He also emphasized the need for a dedicated communications network to strengthen transparency and ensure accountability in the event of technical glitches.

Speaking during the budget defence, Senator Adams Oshiomhole canvassed the removal of the envelope system, while the Chairman of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, Rep. Billy Osawaru, advocated placing INEC’s budget on first-line charge to guarantee timely releases and enhance planning.

The Joint Committee subsequently approved a motion recommending a one-time release of INEC’s annual allocation. It also disclosed that it would review the NYSC’s separate ₦32bn request to raise corps members’ allowances to ₦125,000.

While pledging legislative backing, Rep. Bayo Balogun warned the Commission against overpromising and underdelivering, referencing controversies surrounding the INEC Result Viewing portal during previous elections.

According to him, the portal created public expectations of real-time result transmission despite lacking explicit backing in the Electoral Act.

On his part, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on INEC, Senator Simon Lalong, reaffirmed the National Assembly’s commitment to providing adequate funding to enable the Commission to prepare effectively for the 2027 general elections.