The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed that preparations for the January 16, 2027 Presidential and National Assembly elections are progressing, with 114 days remaining before polling day. The update was delivered on Thursday during a Democracy and Governance Forum in Abuja, organised by West Africa Democracy Radio (WADR) under its "Voices for Democracy and Freedoms in West Africa" initiative.
INEC Details Progress on Voter Registration and Materials
Mrs Helen Ajayi, INEC's Director of Planning and Monitoring, represented the commission's Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, at the event. She presented a paper titled "INEC Preparedness for 2027 General Elections." According to Vanguard, Ajayi told the forum that the commission's timetable had been broken down into coordinated activities covering all departments, state offices, the Federal Capital Territory, and all 774 local government areas across the country.
Ajayi stated that the Continuous Voter Registration exercise and the public display of the preliminary voters' register for claims and objections had both been concluded. Work to generate a PDF version of the register for nationwide display and to synchronise voter registration data was still ongoing. Arrangements for Permanent Voter Card collection were also in progress, with the public to be notified once the cards were ready.
Procurement and Staff Training Underway
On the materials side, Ajayi said procurement and delivery of non-sensitive electoral items to state offices had already begun, giving the commission enough lead time to distribute them before election day. Staff training had also commenced, with personnel at Grade Level 8 to 16 in state offices already trained ahead of the polls.
Ajayi added that INEC was preparing a wide-reaching public awareness campaign to educate voters on accreditation procedures, the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), and what to expect on election day. The campaign will place particular focus on women, young people, persons with disabilities, and communities that are difficult to reach.
BVAS Improvements and Zonal Assessments
She explained that improvements to BVAS and the introduction of the EC8A result form were designed to strengthen transparency in result transmission and reduce opportunities for manual interference in the process. INEC has also launched nationwide zonal readiness assessments, beginning with the South-West zone in Lagos from September 7 to 9. The North-West zone, to be hosted by Kaduna State, is next in the schedule. The assessments are meant to identify operational gaps and emerging risks at the state and local government levels, and to engage frontline electoral officials, including Resident Electoral Commissioners, Administrative Secretaries, and Electoral Officers.
Experts Flag Funding and Trust Concerns
Experts at the forum pointed to funding, communication, and public trust as areas requiring continued focus. They noted that while INEC has made significant progress, these issues could affect the credibility and smooth conduct of the elections if not adequately addressed.
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that INEC and the Nigerian police have disclosed they would sanction politicians whose statements crossed into criminal incitement. Several governors, senators, and party officials made statements critics described as threatening or capable of sparking violence in the run-up to 2027. Civil society groups and lawyers urged security agencies to go beyond warnings and actually prosecute offenders under the Electoral Act.
