As Nigeria prepares for the 2027 general elections, concerns are mounting over the proposed N1.01 trillion allocation to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). While the government argues that adequate funding will strengthen electoral processes, stakeholders insist that money alone cannot resolve deep-rooted institutional and credibility challenges, SODIQ OMOLAOYE reports.

Nigeria may spend close to N1.8 trillion on general elections since the return to democratic rule in 1999 if the proposed N873.78 billion requested by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 2027 general elections is approved by the National Assembly.

The proposal forms part of the N1.01 trillion allocation proposed for the electoral body in the N58.18 trillion 2026 Appropriation Bill presented by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

If endorsed by the National Assembly, the allocation would represent the largest election budget ever proposed for Nigeria’s electoral umpire, surpassing previous election funding since the country returned to democratic rule in 1999.

Yet, even as the funding request reflects the growing financial demands of conducting elections in Africa’s most populous country, the proposal has reignited debate about whether increased funding alone can guarantee credible elections.

Election observers, civil society groups and political actors argue that Nigeria’s polls have continued to face persistent operational challenges, technological glitches and logistical failures, despite rising financial allocations over the years.

Concerns are also mounting over the timing of the proposed funding.
Under Section 3(3) of the Electoral Act 2026, election funds due to the commission must be released not later than six months before a general election.

However, with the 2026 budget yet to be passed by the National Assembly, analysts warn that delays in approval and fund releases could affect the commission’s preparation timeline ahead of the February 2027 general elections.

Nigeria is expected to conduct presidential, governorship, national and state assembly elections in 2027, while Ekiti and Osun states will hold governorship elections in 2026.

INEC’s proposed N873.78 billion election budget is distributed across several operational components. The budget breakdown shows that N379.75 billion is earmarked for operational expenses, N92.32 billion for administrative costs, N209.21 billion for technology deployment, N154.91 billion for capital projects, and N42.61 billion for miscellaneous expenses.

Notably, the proposal does not include a separate request by the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) seeking an increase in allowances for corps members deployed as ad hoc staff during elections.

INEC traditionally relies heavily on corps members to serve as polling officials across thousands of voting centres nationwide.
Rising cost of elections since 1999
Nigeria’s election budgets have risen dramatically since the country’s transition from military rule in 1999.

Checks by The Guardian show that the 1999 general elections, which involved 57.9 million registered voters, cost the country about N1.5 billion.

By 2003, the election budget had risen to N36.4 billion as the electoral commission expanded operations for 60.8 million registered voters.

The 2007 elections were budgeted at N45.5 billion, while spending rose sharply to N122.9 billion in 2011, reflecting efforts to strengthen electoral administration following widespread criticisms of earlier polls.

INEC disclosed that the 2011 elections involved N66.3 billion in recurrent expenditure and N56.6 billion in capital spending. According to INEC’s report on the 2015 general elections, the country spent N108.8 billion to conduct the polls. Election spending rose again to N242.2 billion in 2019, and climbed further to over N355 billion during the 2023 general elections, exceeding the initial N305 billion allocation. The 2023 election costs were heavily influenced by inflationary pressures, foreign exchange volatility and escalating security challenges.

In total, Nigeria spent approximately N912.6 billion conducting general elections between 1999 and 2023.
If the proposed N873.78 billion budget for 2027 is approved, the cumulative cost of elections since Nigeria’s democratic transition will reach about N1.79 trillion across eight electoral cycles in 28 years.

Importantly, this figure does not include the cost of by-elections, supplementary polls and reruns, which have also consumed substantial public resources.

Cost of by-elections adds to electoral spending
Election expenditure in Nigeria goes beyond general elections. A recent analysis by The Guardian shows that between 2020 and 2024, INEC conducted at least 37 by-elections across various constituencies involving a combined 9,352,029 registered voters.

These elections were triggered by court rulings, deaths of elected officials, resignations and appointments to executive offices.

Each by-election requires deployment of election personnel, security agencies, voting materials and logistics, adding billions of naira to Nigeria’s overall electoral expenditure.

One of the most significant drivers of rising election budgets in Nigeria is the persistent depreciation of the naira and rising domestic inflation.

Election management involves procurement of sensitive materials, biometric devices, communication equipment, servers and software infrastructure, many of which require foreign components.

As a result, exchange rate fluctuations directly affect election costs.
For example: In 2015, the average parallel market exchange rate stood at about N165/$1; in 2019, it rose to about N305/$1; and by 2023, the rate had weakened to about N565/$1.

The depreciation contributed significantly to the N115 billion increase in election costs between 2019 and 2023, representing about 61.37 per cent growth in spending.

Using the N1,512/$1 benchmark exchange rate approved in the 2026–2028 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), the N873.78 billion budget translates to approximately $578 million.

Technology expansion increasing election spending
Technology has become a central component of Nigeria’s election management architecture.

In recent election cycles, INEC introduced digital tools such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) to improve voter accreditation and result transparency.
For the 2027 elections, the commission is expected to expand these systems, requiring significant financial investment.

Major technology-related expenditures may include: procurement of additional BVAS devices, software upgrades and system maintenance, establishment of data centres and server infrastructure, enhanced cybersecurity systems and improved connectivity infrastructure for electronic result transmission.

These technological investments form a substantial part of the N209.21 billion allocated for technology in the proposed election budget.

Beyond technology, several operational factors are expected to drive election costs higher. Nigeria’s population growth and increasing voter registration mean more polling units, voting materials and election personnel will be required.

Expanding voting centres also increases demand for ballot papers, ballot boxes, voting cubicles and result sheets. Logistics remains another major expenditure area. Election materials must be transported across 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, including riverine, mountainous and remote communities.

Rising fuel prices and transportation costs have significantly increased the cost of election logistics. Security deployment is also a major cost component. Election security involves personnel from multiple agencies, including the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

Given ongoing challenges such as insurgency, banditry and communal conflicts, the cost of deploying security personnel nationwide during elections is expected to increase further in 2027.

Election petitions persist despite spending
Despite rising election spending, Nigeria’s electoral process continues to generate high levels of post-election litigation.

Data from INEC show that between 2007 and 2023, Nigeria recorded 4,675 election petitions arising from five election cycles. Breakdown of the figures shows: 2007: 1,282 petitions, 2011: 727 petitions, 2015: 663 petitions
2019: 807 petitions and 2023: 1,196 petitions

The spike in litigation after the 2023 elections has renewed debate about the effectiveness of rising election budgets in improving electoral credibility.

But expressing concerns over the rising cost of elections, critical stakeholders told The Guardian that funding alone cannot fix Nigeria’s election challenges.

A former INEC National Commissioner, Lai Olurode, told The Guardian that while underfunding has historically contributed to election challenges, funding by itself is insufficient to ensure credibility.
Olurode argued that ethical and institutional integrity are as critical as financial resources, stressing that elections require a combination of adequate funding and principled conduct.

“There are credibility issues, and those issues might have been because of underfunding and funding challenges that INEC has consistently faced. So the president is probably saying to INEC, look, how much did you say you need? You need this. Okay, get even more, but there should be no excuse at all.

“I want to say that throwing money at any structure or any department of government is never enough. It may be a part of a necessary condition, but it may not be a necessary and sufficient condition to guarantee the performance of that agency. Because I suspect, and I believe strongly, that the major challenge that we have in Nigeria is that of accountability and that of ethical issues. In most cases, it’s not a lack of funding.

“So, throwing resources, especially monetary resources, at a challenge may not be enough to resolve electoral issues in Nigeria.”

Olurode noted that elections in Nigeria cannot be a government-only affair.

Executive Director of CHRICED, Ibrahim Zikirullahi, questioned whether the large allocation will translate into better outcomes, citing procurement inefficiencies and past resource mismanagement.

He said repeated purchase of fragile materials like ballot boxes has often led to inefficiencies and even compromises in election security.

“I think, for me, this huge budget is more of a money-for-the-boys arrangement. The question is, how did they arrive at that figure? Who prepared the budget? Who verifies it? And what kind of procurement are they going to do?

“If, year in, year out, we keep having the experience of ballot snatching, why can’t we do something that will prevent it?”

He raised doubts about INEC’s independence under the current political appointment system, adding that this creates conflicts of interest that money alone cannot resolve.

“It’s no more about independence to do the right thing. It’s independent to manage funds. Giving them all these trillions of naira will not change anything. It will only aggravate the situation. I know it will come at a time when some officials will be fighting over the sharing of the money.”

Chairman of the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG), Auwal Rafsanjani, noted that while providing adequate resources to INEC is important, oversight and effective use of the funds are critical to achieving credible elections.

He said: “Previously, INEC was allocated significant funds, yet Nigerians continued to express concerns. It later emerged that this substantial allocation was made without fully considering other recommendations that could have strengthened the commission.

“In my view, this appears to be mere window dressing. To ensure that INEC performs optimally, credibly, and responsibly, we must address other areas of shortfall. Strengthening both the electoral system and public confidence, while ensuring accountability in the process, is essential. Only then can the allocation of these funds be truly justified and impactful.”

National Chairman of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Falalu Bello, said that structural weaknesses within INEC remain the core problem.
Bello stressed that for the 2027 elections to be credible, INEC must implement reforms that go beyond funding, including strict adherence to electoral laws, accountability for officials, and robust mechanisms to prevent malpractice.

“We, as a political party, recognise the significance of the N1.01 trillion allocation proposed for INEC in the 2026 budget. However, we firmly believe that the amount of funding alone does not determine the credibility of an election.

“Past experiences have demonstrated that monetary expenditure is not the primary factor influencing INEC’s performance or shortcomings. Instead, the core issues lie in the structural and institutional weaknesses within INEC itself.

“We believe that INEC’s current framework is not sufficiently robust to guarantee the transparency, impartiality, and credibility required for free and fair elections.”

Falalu said the commission must undergo comprehensive reform, in line with the recommendations of Justice Muhammadu Uwais’ report, which emphasise independence, accountability, and professionalism within INEC.

“Our confidence in INEC’s impartiality remains low, especially given these past lapses.”