Nigeria’s electoral umpire is set to receive an unprecedented financial boost as preparations quietly intensify for the 2027 general elections.
In the 2026 budget proposal forwarded to the National Assembly, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was allocated more than N1 trillion, marking one of the most significant funding commitments in the agency’s history.
Budget documents released by the Budget Office of the Federation indicate that the allocation stands at N1.013 trillion, a figure that places election planning at the centre of the Federal Government’s medium-term priorities.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu presented a total spending plan of N58.18 trillion for 2026, outlining projected revenues of N34.33 trillion and debt servicing costs exceeding N15 trillion.
The spending framework, officially described as a consolidation and resilience-focused budget, signals an early financial runway for critical national programmes, including electoral administration.
Observers note that the size of INEC’s allocation reflects lessons drawn from past election cycles, where funding delays and logistical pressures affected operations.
An election governance analyst familiar with the commission’s planning said early funding would “reduce last-minute procurement risks and allow deeper voter education ahead of 2027.”
Legal backing for early disbursement already exists. The Electoral Act mandates that funds meant for general elections be released at least one year before polling day to ensure operational stability.
INEC’s recent history underscores why the provision matters. For the 2023 elections, although over N355 billion was approved, the commission confirmed that only N313.4 billion had been released months after voting ended.
Earlier election cycles were comparatively cheaper.
Nigeria spent about N109 billion in 2015, N143 billion was approved for 2019, while costs rose sharply by 2023 due to inflation, security demands, and expanded logistics.
Meanwhile, projections ahead of 2027 suggest that election costs will continue to climb.
A former technical adviser to the INEC chairman recently estimated that nationwide polls could require close to N870 billion.
Speaking at a policy retreat on election risks, he explained that Nigeria’s polls rank among the largest civilian operations globally, involving over 93 million registered voters and nearly 177,000 polling units.
“The scale alone makes elections expensive, even before factoring in technology, security, and personnel,” he said.
He further argued that when measured per voter, Nigeria’s election spending remains modest by international standards, particularly among emerging democracies.
With the proposed trillion-naira allocation now before lawmakers, attention is shifting to oversight, transparency, and whether early funding will translate into smoother, more credible elections in 2027.