AU Delegation Visits INEC, Assesses Nigeria’s Readiness for 2027 Elections
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has received a delegation from the African Union (AU) as part of efforts to assess Nigeria’s preparedness for the 2027 general elections.
The delegation, led by former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, His Excellency Demeke Mekonnen, visited the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday as part of the AU’s Pre-Election and Needs Assessment Mission to Nigeria, scheduled for September 13 to 19, 2026.
The team was received by INEC’s Acting Chairman, Professor Rhoda Gumus, who represented the Chairman of the Commission, Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN.
Speaking during the engagement, Mekonnen said the mission was aimed at assessing Nigeria’s electoral preparations, identifying potential gaps and exploring areas where the AU could provide technical support ahead of the 2027 elections.
He said the mission would focus on key areas including voter registration and the integrity of the voters’ register, electoral technology, logistics, funding, inclusion, transparency, dispute resolution, security coordination and results management.
“We want to facilitate support and identify gaps, and for possible remedies and corrections for the successful election process,” Mekonnen said.
Responding, Gumus welcomed the AU delegation and described the engagement as timely, noting that it provided an opportunity for institutional learning and strengthening of Nigeria’s electoral processes.
She said INEC was undertaking extensive operational, technological and logistical preparations for the 2027 general elections, with the number of registered voters approaching 100 million and 176,846 polling units nationwide. INEC’s current published figures list 93,469,008 registered voters and 176,846 polling units.
Gumus also highlighted the Commission’s use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), the IReV results-viewing portal and inter-agency security coordination as part of measures to strengthen election administration.
She disclosed that INEC was collaborating with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) through the Continuous Voter Registration Portal to verify and clean the voter register.
According to her, recent off-cycle elections have also provided opportunities for the Commission to test reforms and draw lessons ahead of the 2027 polls.
Gumus acknowledged that Nigeria’s geographical size and complexity continue to present technological, logistical and other challenges, stressing the importance of technical support and collaboration.
She identified areas where AU support could be useful, including digital training for ad-hoc election personnel, e-learning tools, ICT simulations, election-monitoring systems, countermeasures against election-related disinformation and deepfakes, strategic communication, and the use of technology in election management.
She also called for greater support for inclusive electoral participation, particularly for persons with disabilities, internally displaced persons, women and other underrepresented groups.
The Acting Chairman assured the delegation of INEC’s cooperation throughout the mission, saying the Commission would continue to engage political parties, civil society organisations, security agencies, the media and development partners.
Gumus reaffirmed INEC’s commitment to independence, neutrality and professionalism, stressing that the Commission’s actions would be guided by the law and that the outcome of the 2027 general election would reflect the sovereign will of Nigerian voters.
AU Delegation Visits INEC, Assesses Nigeria’s Readiness for 2027 Elections