The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is considering a comprehensive audit of its election technology and the possibility of holding a mock presidential election as part of preparations for the 2027 general election.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), disclosed this on Thursday while receiving the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr. Richard Montgomery, during a courtesy visit to the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
According to him, the proposals were prompted by lessons from the 2023 general election, particularly concerns about the performance and reliability of election technology.
He explained that the commission is exploring the idea of auditing all its electoral systems before the 2027 polls and conducting a mock presidential election to assess the readiness of its processes and technology ahead of the actual exercise.
“The commission is looking at the possibility of auditing all its systems ahead of the 2027 election, as well as conducting a mock presidential election to test the readiness of its processes and technology before the actual polls,” he said.
Amupitan noted that the proposed exercises were not originally captured in INEC’s budget but said the commission would explore ways to implement them because of their importance in strengthening the credibility of future elections.
He said the plans are part of broader efforts to improve the reliability of election technology, including the continued use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), as well as ongoing reviews of the commission’s cybersecurity framework, system redundancy, penetration testing and disaster recovery measures.
The INEC chairman stressed that public confidence in elections depends largely on the reliability of the commission’s technology and operational processes.
He reaffirmed INEC’s commitment to identifying and addressing any weaknesses observed during previous elections before the 2027 polls.
Amupitan also described election technology and cybersecurity as key areas of collaboration between INEC and the United Kingdom, noting that the commission values technical support from the UK and other development partners, including the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES).
He added that delivering credible, transparent and inclusive elections requires the collective support of political parties, security agencies, civil society organisations, development partners and the electorate.
Earlier, Montgomery said the UK had been closely monitoring INEC’s preparations for the 2027 general election, including recent off-cycle elections in Ekiti, the Federal Capital Territory and Anambra, as well as preparations for the Osun State governorship election.
He described Britain’s support for Nigeria’s democratic process as both practical and strategic, citing the partnership agreement signed by both countries in 2024 and President Bola Tinubu’s state visit to the UK earlier this year.
Montgomery, who is expected to conclude his diplomatic assignment in Nigeria in about six weeks, assured the commission that his successor would continue to strengthen the existing partnership with INEC ahead of the 2027 general election.
