The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is considering conducting a comprehensive audit of its electoral technology infrastructure and staging a mock presidential election as part of preparations for the 2027 general election.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), disclosed the plan 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 Amupitan, the proposals were informed by lessons from the 2023 general election, particularly concerns over the performance and reliability of election technology.
He said the commission is exploring the possibility of carrying out a full audit of its electoral systems before the 2027 polls, alongside organising a mock presidential election to assess the readiness of its technology, operational processes and election management framework.
"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," Amupitan said.
The INEC chairman noted that the proposed exercises were not captured in the commission's current budget but stressed that efforts would be made to implement them because of their significance in enhancing the credibility of future elections.
He explained that the initiatives form part of broader reforms aimed at strengthening the commission's technological infrastructure. These include the continued deployment and improvement of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), and a comprehensive review of the commission's cyber-security architecture covering system redundancy, penetration testing and disaster recovery mechanisms.
Amupitan emphasised that public confidence in Nigeria's electoral process depends largely on the reliability and resilience of the commission's technology and operational systems.
He identified election technology and cyber-security as major areas of collaboration between INEC and the United Kingdom, noting that the commission values its technical partnerships with the UK Government and other international organisations, including the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), in strengthening Nigeria's electoral process.
Reaffirming the commission's commitment to conducting credible, transparent and inclusive elections, the INEC chairman said electoral integrity is a shared responsibility that requires the collective efforts of political parties, security agencies, civil society organisations, development partners and citizens.
Earlier, British High Commissioner Dr. Richard Montgomery said the United Kingdom had been closely monitoring INEC's preparations for the 2027 general election, including developments from recent off-cycle elections in Ekiti, the Federal Capital Territory and Anambra, as well as preparations for the forthcoming Osun State governorship election.
Montgomery described the UK's support for Nigeria's democratic process as both moral and practical, citing the strategic partnership signed between the two countries in 2024 and President Bola Tinubu's state visit to the United Kingdom in March as evidence of growing bilateral cooperation.
The envoy, who disclosed that he would conclude his diplomatic assignment in Nigeria in about six weeks, assured INEC of continued British support under his successor. He expressed confidence that the incoming British High Commissioner would sustain a strong and productive working relationship with the commission as preparations intensify for the 2027 general election.
