2027 Elections: INEC awaits N371bn as funding gap persists

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, is awaiting about N371 billion from its N873.78 billion budget for the 2027 general elections.

The commission received more than N500 billion in June. The funds covered over half of its proposed election budget.

However, INEC still needs the outstanding funds for procurement, logistics, technology and other election activities.

The presidential and National Assembly elections will hold on January 16, 2027. Governorship and State House of Assembly elections will follow on February 6.

The funding gap affects the production and collection of Permanent Voter Cards, electoral materials, technology and contractors’ payments.

INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, said the commission received more than N500 billion by late June.

Haruna said INEC still owed about N6 billion to contractors. He also said more than N140 billion remained outstanding from its statutory allocation for the previous election cycle.

He disclosed that INEC was also working to procure additional Bimodal Voter Accreditation System devices.

According to him, some ICT officials had travelled to China to finalise arrangements for importing the equipment.

“Certainly, we are concerned. Everyone shares this concern. Ultimately, the funds must be available,” Haruna said.

Meanwhile, INEC said it had made progress on its 14-point timetable for the 2027 elections.

Director of Planning and Monitoring, Helen Ajayi, represented INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan at a Democracy and Governance Forum in Abuja.

Ajayi said the Continuous Voter Registration exercise and display of the preliminary voters’ register had been completed.

She added that INEC was working on the nationwide voters’ register. The commission had also begun preparations for PVC collection.

INEC has started procuring and distributing non-sensitive electoral materials.

Amupitan has stressed the need for adequate funding for election logistics and security.

Speaking at a conference for senior police officers in Owerri, Imo State, he said INEC needed enough resources to deploy personnel and materials across the country.

He urged security agencies to maintain professional neutrality and strengthen intelligence gathering ahead of the elections.

Amupitan also called for proactive measures to address security threats during the polls.

He said the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security would remain important for coordination between INEC and security agencies.

With the January elections approaching, INEC continues to await the outstanding N371 billion needed to complete preparations for the 2027 polls.