INEC plans to deploy about 1.4 million ad hoc personnel for the 2027 general election

INEC disclosed this on Tuesday when its chairman, Joash Amupitan, received a delegation from the International Republican Institute (IRI), led by its president, Dan Twining, in Abuja.

The IRI delegation is in Nigeria from August 11 to 21 to assess INEC’s preparedness for the 2027 elections and identify areas where international support could strengthen the electoral process.

Amupitan said the ad hoc personnel would be deployed across more than 176,000 polling units nationwide.

He said the commission was also strengthening logistics, expanding early deployment strategies and improving coordination with transport unions to ensure the timely movement of election materials and personnel.

The INEC chairman said recent off-cycle elections and legislative by-elections had provided opportunities to test the commission’s electoral technology, logistics and security arrangements.

He said the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) had maintained high operational reliability, with result-upload rates exceeding 98 percent in recent elections.

Amupitan added that INEC was implementing reforms to improve voter registration through online registration, continuous updates to the voters’ register and measures to ensure the accuracy of voter records.

He said the commission would also expand measures to make voting more accessible to persons with disabilities, pregnant women, nursing mothers and elderly voters.

Amupitan identified misinformation, disinformation and the misuse of artificial intelligence as emerging threats to electoral integrity ahead of the 2027 elections.

He said INEC had established an AI-focused unit to develop protocols for responsible use of technology and counter false information that could undermine public confidence in elections.

Amupitan reiterated that INEC would remain neutral and have no preference for any political party or candidate, saying its responsibility was to conduct elections that reflect the will of Nigerians.

Twining said the IRI mission was aimed at supporting a competitive, peaceful and credible electoral process in Nigeria.

He said the delegation would assess INEC’s preparations, identify potential challenges and explore how the international community could support Nigeria’s democratic process.