The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has proposed a budget of N873.78 billion for the conduct of the 2027 general elections, raising fresh conversations around electoral financing and institutional independence.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed the figure on Thursday while defending the Commission’s 2026 budget before the National Assembly Joint Committee on Electoral Matters.
He clarified that the proposed N873.78bn election budget is separate from the Commission’s N171 billion 2026 spending plan, which is intended to cover by-elections and off-cycle polls.
According to Prof. Amupitan, the 2027 projection does not include an additional N32 billion request from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), which is seeking to increase allowances for Corps members serving as election ad-hoc staff.
Breaking down the N873.78bn estimate, the INEC chairman said the funds would cover five key components:
- N379.75bn for operational costs
- N92.32bn for administrative expenses
- N209.21bn for technology
- N154.91bn for election capital costs
- N42.61bn for contingencies and miscellaneous items
Prof. Amupitan explained that the early budget proposal complies with Section 3(3) of the Electoral Act 2022, which mandates the Commission to prepare its election budget at least one year before a general election.
On the 2026 fiscal framework, he revealed that although the Ministry of Finance issued a N140bn budget envelope to the Commission, INEC is proposing N171bn to meet its obligations.
The proposed 2026 budget includes:
- N109bn for personnel costs
- N18.7bn for overheads
- N42.63bn for election-related activities
- N1.4bn for capital expenditure
Prof. Amupitan cautioned that the envelope budgeting system is ill-suited to INEC’s operational realities, stressing that the Commission requires more flexible and responsive funding arrangements. He also identified the absence of a dedicated communications network as a critical infrastructure gap affecting electoral operations.
Lawmakers across party lines expressed concern over the funding structure.
Senator Adams Oshiomhole argued that external agencies should not dictate INEC’s budgeting framework, while Billy Osawaru called for the Commission to be placed on first-line charge to ensure full and timely release of funds.
The Joint Committee subsequently adopted a motion recommending a one-time release of INEC’s annual budget. It also indicated plans to review the NYSC’s proposal to raise election allowances for Corps members to N125,000.
However, Senators Simon Lalong and Bayo Balogun, who chair the Senate and House Committees on Electoral Matters respectively, pledged legislative support but cautioned the Commission against making commitments — including real-time result uploads — that are not adequately backed by law or technical capacity.
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