The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it has received more than N500 billion, representing over 50 per cent of the total budget earmarked for the 2027 general elections.
The Commissioner for Information and Voter Education, Mohammed Haruna, disclosed this during an interview with ARISE News on Friday, noting that while the release marks significant progress, the commission is still concerned about outstanding obligations and remaining funding needs.
Haruna explained that INEC is still settling debts from the last general elections, including payments owed to contractors, even as it prepares for the next polls.
He said part of the recent allocation has already been used to begin early preparations, including logistics planning and the procurement of additional Biometric Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices, which are central to Nigeria’s election process.
According to him, INEC officials have also been engaging international partners, including trips to China, to finalise arrangements for election materials and technology support.
Haruna added that beyond funding concerns, political parties are currently the commission’s major challenge, as only a few have submitted candidate lists despite ongoing primaries.
He explained that INEC has introduced safeguards to ensure only candidates emerging from properly monitored primaries are accepted into its system, while still allowing room for lawful substitutions.
On voter registration challenges, the commissioner attributed difficulties accessing the registration portal to server and network issues, while assuring that INEC’s BVAS technology can function offline to prevent disruptions during accreditation and registration processes.
