The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has scheduled November 28, 2026, for a nationwide mock accreditation and voting exercise across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
The exercise is aimed at testing the commission’s electoral technology, particularly the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and electronic transmission of election results, to identify and address possible technical challenges before the 2027 polls.
According to reports by The Punch, INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, announced the date on Thursday during a high-level dialogue at Chatham House in London, organised in partnership with the Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI). The event was themed “Nigeria’s 2027 Elections: Democratic Trajectory and Regional Stability Beyond the Ballot.”
Amupitan explained that the mock election would simulate the presidential voting process and enable the commission to establish whether its voter accreditation and electronic result transmission systems were functioning effectively.
He also disclosed that INEC had introduced additional technical safeguards to prevent inaccurate polling unit results and figures indicating over-voting from being uploaded to the commission’s Result Viewing Portal (IReV).
The INEC chairman said the commission had reviewed the challenges experienced during the 2023 general elections and introduced improvements to strengthen electoral transparency and credibility.
As part of the preparations, INEC has procured additional BVAS devices and reduced the maximum number of registered voters assigned to each machine from 1,250 to 850. Polling units with more than 850 registered voters will be provided with additional devices.
He further disclosed that the commission was constructing climate-controlled storage facilities across the states to prevent technical malfunctions associated with extreme temperatures and poor storage conditions.
On election financing, Amupitan confirmed that INEC had received a substantial portion of its 2027 general election budget but was still awaiting the release of the outstanding balance.
He explained that part of the pending funds would be used for the recruitment, training and welfare of ad hoc electoral personnel required for the conduct of the elections.
The November 28 mock exercise is expected to provide an opportunity for INEC to assess its operational readiness and strengthen public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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