The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has proposed a total of N873.778 billion for the organisation of the 2027 general elections.
The INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, made this known while presenting the Commission’s 2026 budget proposal and the projected cost of the 2027 elections to the National Assembly Joint Committee on Electoral Matters. He explained that the election budget is separate from INEC’s N171 billion request for the 2026 fiscal year, which is meant to cover routine activities such as by-elections and off-cycle elections.
Amupitan also stated that the projected 2027 election cost does not include a new request from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), which is seeking an increase in allowances for corps members who will serve as ad-hoc election staff.
He further explained that the proposed election budget—close to N1 trillion—is divided into five key areas: N379.748 billion for operational expenses, N92.317 billion for administrative costs, N209.206 billion for technology, N154.905 billion for capital projects, and N42.608 billion for miscellaneous expenses.
According to him, the proposal complies with Section 3(3) of the Electoral Act 2022, which requires the Commission to submit its election budget at least one year before a general election.
Regarding the 2026 fiscal plan, Amupitan disclosed that the Ministry of Finance set a budget ceiling of N140 billion for INEC, but the Commission is requesting N171 billion to meet its needs. This includes N109 billion for personnel, N18.7 billion for overhead costs, N42.63 billion for election-related activities, and N1.4 billion for capital projects.
He criticised the envelope budgeting system, saying it does not reflect INEC’s operational needs, which often require urgent and flexible funding. He also pointed out the lack of a dedicated communications network as a major challenge, noting that having independent infrastructure would improve transparency and allow Nigerians to better monitor the Commission in cases of technical failure.
During the session, lawmakers expressed concerns about how the electoral body is funded. Senator Adams Oshiomhole argued that because of INEC’s sensitive constitutional role, its budget should not be subjected to strict external limits. He called for the removal of the envelope budgeting system for INEC and urged lawmakers to consider the Commission’s actual funding needs to prevent underfunding complaints.
Similarly, Edo lawmaker Billy Osawaru suggested placing INEC’s budget on first-line charge, in line with constitutional provisions, to ensure full and timely fund releases for effective planning and execution.
The Joint Committee later approved a motion recommending the one-time release of INEC’s annual budget. It also said it would review the NYSC’s separate request of about N32 billion to increase election duty allowances for corps members to N125,000.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on INEC, Senator Simon Lalong, assured the Commission of legislative support to help it prepare adequately for the 2027 elections.
However, the Chairman of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, Mr. Bayo Balogun, while expressing support, warned INEC against making promises it may struggle to keep. He referred to the last general election, noting that the Commission created strong expectations about uploading results to the INEC Result Viewing (IREV) portal, giving the impression of real-time monitoring.
He warned that the IREV platform was not included in the Electoral Act but existed only in INEC regulations, advising the Commission to be cautious about the commitments it makes.
