Electoral Reforms and Credible Elections: Is Nigeria Ready for 2027

Is Nigeria truly ready for credible, peaceful, transparent and inclusive elections in 2027?

My answer is: Nigeria has made progress, but we are not yet where we need to be.

The 2023 General Elections demonstrated both the possibilities and the limitations of electoral reform and technology in Nigeria. The introduction and deployment of technologies such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) represented significant steps towards improving accreditation and transparency.

However, technology alone cannot guarantee credible elections. Credible elections require credible institutions, strong laws, responsible political actors, informed citizens, effective security, transparent processes and public trust.

1. Electoral Reform Must Go Beyond Technology

The Electoral Act provides an important legal framework for conducting elections. However, laws must not only exist on paper; they must be clear, enforceable and consistently implemented.

As we approach 2027, stakeholders must examine areas where the law and electoral regulations require further strengthening, particularly around:

• Election result management and transmission;
• Timelines and procedures for resolving electoral disputes;
• Offences and sanctions for electoral malpractice;
• Political party primaries and internal democracy;
• Campaign financing;
• Voter registration and accreditation;
• Protection of election officials and materials; and
• Accountability for individuals and institutions that violate electoral laws.

Electoral reform should be driven by lessons from experience, not merely by political convenience.

2. Electronic Transmission of Results

One of the major issues emerging from the 2023 elections was public concern about the transmission and viewing of polling-unit results.

Electronic transmission has the potential to reduce opportunities for manipulation during the movement and collation of results. But for technology to build trust, the process must be:

Transparent, reliable, auditable and understandable to ordinary citizens.

For 2027, Nigerians need greater clarity about what happens to results from the polling unit until final declaration.

We should therefore ask:

Can every result be independently verified? Can citizens, political parties and accredited observers follow the process? Can discrepancies be detected and explained?

Technology should not become another black box. It must become a tool for transparency and accountability.

3. Should Nigeria Introduce Electronic Voting?

Electronic voting is an important issue, but we must approach it carefully.

Electronic voting could potentially improve efficiency, reduce some forms of ballot manipulation and accelerate the voting process. However, it also presents serious questions around cybersecurity, infrastructure, digital literacy, system failure, voter privacy, accessibility and public confidence.

Therefore, the question should not simply be:

"Can Nigeria conduct electronic voting?"

The bigger question is:

"Can Nigeria conduct electronic voting in a manner that Nigerians can trust?"

If electronic voting is considered, it should be introduced based on evidence, extensive testing, independent auditing, pilot programmes and broad stakeholder consultation not political pressure or technological enthusiasm.

4. What Did 2023 Teach Us?

The 2023 elections gave us several important lessons.

First, technology can improve elections, but technology does not eliminate human interference.

Second, citizens need to understand electoral technology. A technology that citizens do not understand can create suspicion rather than confidence.

Third, communication is critical. INEC and other electoral stakeholders must communicate clearly and promptly when technical or operational challenges occur.

Fourth, electoral integrity is a chain. A weakness at one stage can affect the credibility of the entire process.

And finally, public trust must be treated as an electoral asset.

When citizens lose confidence in the process, even a technically compliant election may struggle to gain legitimacy.

5. What Must Happen Before 2027?

We should not wait until the eve of the election before implementing reforms.

I would suggest at least six priorities:

1. Complete necessary electoral law reforms early.
Any amendments required for 2027 should be concluded well ahead of the election.

2. Strengthen INEC's institutional independence and capacity.
The Commission must have the resources, personnel, technology and operational independence required to perform its responsibilities effectively.

3. Conduct extensive testing and independent audits of electoral technology.
Systems such as BVAS and result-management platforms should be tested under realistic conditions before election day.

4. Improve voter and stakeholder education.
Citizens, political parties, journalists, observers and election officials should understand how electoral technologies work and how results are managed.

5. Strengthen accountability and sanctions.
Electoral offences must have consequences. Impunity undermines every electoral reform.

6. Build a culture of peaceful political participation.
Credible elections cannot exist where political competition is accompanied by violence, hate speech, intimidation and disinformation.

6. The Role of Citizens

Electoral reform is not only the responsibility of INEC, the National Assembly or political parties.

Citizens are central to electoral integrity.

We must verify information before sharing it, reject electoral violence, participate peacefully, protect our votes and demand accountability from political actors and institutions.

The media also has an important responsibility to provide accurate information, fact-check claims and avoid becoming an instrument for political incitement.

Civil society must continue to monitor elections, document violations and advocate for reforms.

Political parties must demonstrate commitment to internal democracy and peaceful competition.

Security agencies must remain professional, impartial and focused on protecting citizens and the electoral process.

CONCLUSION

As we move towards 2027, Nigeria does not simply need another election.

Nigeria needs an election that Nigerians can trust.

We need electoral reforms that strengthen institutions.

We need technology that improves transparency rather than creating new uncertainties.

We need laws that are respected and enforced.

We need political leaders who understand that winning an election must never come at the cost of destroying the democratic process.

And above all, we need citizens who believe that their vote matters and that their voice can influence the direction of the country.

So, is Nigeria ready for 2027?

We can be ready but readiness must be demonstrated through action, not declarations.

The time for electoral reform is now, not after the votes have been cast.

Let us therefore use the road to 2027 to build an electoral system that is credible, transparent, inclusive, technology-enabled, accountable and peaceful.

A credible election is not merely about who wins. It is about whether Nigerians believe that the process was fair.

Thank you.