Despite the confusion, crisis, deception and manipulations that marred the 2023 general election allegedly orchestrated by the Mahmood Yakubu-led Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the electoral umpire has again presented a humongous budget for the 2027 general election amounting to a whopping N873 billion
By Udoka Ekeleme, Abuja
At the last count, many Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) have threatened to boycott the 2027 general election if the National Assembly fails to allow the mandatory real-time electronic transmission of election results. This threat comes amid the Senate’s passage of dual transmission model involving electronic transmission and manual transmission in areas that do not have network coverage.
Many election analysts and CSOs have alleged that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), even under a new Chairman, Joash Amupitan, cannot be trusted to conduct credible election in 2027. However, while the nation boils over the fear of INEC’s impartiality, the election umpire has projected a total of N873.778 billion for the conduct of the 2027 general elections, while requesting N171 billion for its 2026 operational budget.
The INEC Chairman, Prof. Amupitan, disclosed this on Thursday, February 12, 2026 while presenting the Commission’s budget proposals before the National Assembly Joint Committee on Electoral Matters. Amupitan stressed that the nearly N874 billion earmarked for the 2027 general election was separate from the 2026 budget, which covers routine operations, by-elections, and off-cycle polls.
The 2027 election budget is structured into five major components including, 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. The projection does not include a pending request by the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) for an upward review of allowances for corps members deployed as ad-hoc election staff.
On the 2026 budget, Amupitan said the Ministry of Finance issued a ceiling of N140 billion, but INEC was proposing N171 billion to meet obligations. The breakdown included N109 billion for personnel costs, N18.7 billion for overheads, N42.63 billion for election-related activities, and N1.4 billion for capital projects.
Amupitan criticised the envelope budgeting system, and noted that it does not reflect INEC’s operational realities, which often demand urgent and flexible funding. He also stressed the need for a dedicated communications network to enhance transparency and enable accountability in case of technical failures.
Lawmakers at the session expressed concerns over funding mechanisms for the electoral body. Senator Adams Oshiomhole called for the removal of the envelope system, while a member of the House of Representatives Billy Osawaru submitted that INEC’s budget be placed on first-line charge to ensure timely release of funds for effective planning.
The Joint Committee approved a motion recommending a one-time release of INEC’s annual budget and indicated it would examine the NYSC’s separate request of about N32 billion to raise allowances for corps members to N125,000.
While assuring INEC of legislative backing for its budget, another member of the House of Representatives Bayo Balogun cautioned Amupitan against making commitments the commission would struggle to fulfil. He cited previous controversies that surrounded the INEC Result Viewing (IREV) portal, which gave the impression of real-time results monitoring but was not included in the Electoral Act.
Senator Simon Lalong, Chairman of the Senate Committee on INEC, reiterated support for adequate funding to ensure effective preparation for the 2027 elections.
However, not a few analysts fear that despite the eye-popping budget proposal of Amupitan’s INEC, the 2027 general election may still go the shambolic way of the Yakubu’s INEC of 2023.
