Abuja — The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has proposed ₦873.778 billion as the estimated cost for conducting Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed this on Wednesday while presenting the Commission’s 2026 budget proposal alongside the projected election expenditure before the National Assembly Joint Committee on Electoral Matters.

Amupitan clarified that the election budget is separate from INEC’s proposed ₦171 billion allocation for the 2026 fiscal year, which covers routine operations such as by-elections and off-cycle polls.

He further noted that the election cost estimate does not include a fresh request by the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) seeking an upward review of allowances for corps members deployed as ad-hoc election officials.

Breakdown of the Election Budget

According to the INEC chairman, the near ₦1 trillion proposal is structured into five key components:

• ₦379.748 billion — Operational expenses
• ₦92.317 billion — Administrative costs
• ₦209.206 billion — Technology
• ₦154.905 billion — Capital expenditure
• ₦42.608 billion — Miscellaneous items

He said the proposal complies with Section 3(3) of the Electoral Act 2022, which requires INEC to submit its election budget at least one year before a general election.

2026 Budget and Funding Concerns

On the 2026 fiscal framework, Amupitan revealed that INEC was issued a ₦140 billion budget ceiling by the Ministry of Finance, but is proposing ₦171 billion to meet its obligations. The breakdown includes:

• ₦109 billion — Personnel costs
• ₦18.7 billion — Overheads
• ₦42.63 billion — Election-related activities
• ₦1.4 billion — Capital projects

He criticised the envelope budgeting system, arguing that it does not reflect INEC’s operational realities, which often require urgent and flexible funding. He also identified the absence of a dedicated communications network as a major challenge, stressing that independent infrastructure would improve transparency and accountability, especially during technical failures.

Lawmakers Weigh In

Lawmakers at the session raised concerns over INEC’s funding structure. Senator Adams Oshiomhole argued that given INEC’s sensitive constitutional mandate, its budget should not be subjected to rigid external frameworks, calling for the removal of the envelope system in the Commission’s case.

Similarly, Edo lawmaker Billy Osawaru advocated placing INEC’s budget on first-line charge, in line with constitutional provisions, to ensure full and timely releases.

The Joint Committee subsequently approved a motion recommending a one-time release of INEC’s annual budget. It also said it would consider the NYSC’s separate request of about ₦32 billion to raise election duty allowances for corps members to ₦125,000.

Chairman of the Senate Committee on INEC, Simon Lalong, assured the Commission of legislative backing to ensure adequate preparation for the 2027 polls.

However, Chairman of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, Bayo Balogun, while pledging support, cautioned INEC against making commitments it may struggle to fulfil. He cited the last general election, noting that expectations around real-time result uploads to the INEC Result Viewing (IREV) portal were not fully met.

“IREV is not even in the Electoral Act; it was only in INEC regulations. So, be careful how you make promises,” Balogun warned.