The Independent National Electoral Commission has proposed a budget of N873.778 billion for the conduct of Nigeria’s 2027 general election.
The commission’s chairman, Joash Amupitan, disclosed this while presenting the commission’s 2026 budget proposal and projected 2027 election cost before the National Assembly Joint Committee on Electoral Matters.
He explained that the N873.778 billion election estimate is separate from INEC’s proposed N171 billion budget for the 2026 fiscal year, which is meant to cover routine operations such as by-elections and off-cycle polls. The election cost projection also excludes a fresh request by the National Youth Service Corps for increased allowances for corps members serving as ad-hoc election staff.
Amupitan said the near-N1 trillion election proposal is divided into five components: N379.748 billion for operational expenses, N92.317 billion for administrative costs, N209.206 billion for technology, N154.905 billion for capital expenditure, and N42.608 billion for miscellaneous items. He noted the submission complies with the legal requirement that the commission present its election budget at least one year before a general election.
On the 2026 fiscal framework, he revealed that the Ministry of Finance set a budget ceiling of N140 billion for the commission, but INEC proposed N171 billion to meet its needs. The breakdown includes N109 billion for personnel, N18.7 billion for overheads, N42.63 billion for election-related activities, and N1.4 billion for capital projects.
The INEC chairman criticised the envelope budgeting system, arguing that it does not reflect the commission’s operational realities, which often require urgent and flexible funding. He also identified the lack of a dedicated communications network as a major challenge, saying an independent infrastructure would improve transparency and enable citizens to hold the commission accountable in case of technical failures.
During the session, lawmakers raised concerns about funding mechanisms. Senator Adams Oshiomhole argued that given INEC’s sensitive constitutional responsibilities, its budget should not be constrained by rigid external frameworks and called for removal of the envelope system in its case.
Similarly, Edo lawmaker Billy Osawaru advocated placing the commission’s budget on first-line charge to ensure full and timely releases for effective planning and execution.
The joint committee approved a motion recommending a one-time release of INEC’s annual budget and said it would also review the NYSC’s separate request for about N32 billion to raise election duty allowances for corps members to N125,000.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on INEC, Simon Lalong, assured the commission of legislative support to enable adequate preparation for the 2027 polls. Meanwhile, House Committee on Electoral Matters Chairman Bayo Balogun pledged backing but warned the commission against making commitments it might struggle to fulfil.
He referenced the previous general election, noting that expectations were high regarding real-time result uploads to INEC’s Result Viewing portal, which created the impression of live monitoring. He cautioned that such promises should be made carefully, pointing out the platform was contained in INEC regulations rather than electoral law.
Elijah Adeyemi
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