INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, presents the commission’s proposed N873.78bn budget for the 2027 general elections to lawmakers in Abuja.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has told the National Assembly that it requires N873.78bn to conduct the 2027 general elections.
The commission also proposed N171bn to fund its operations in the 2026 fiscal year.
According to INEC the N873.78bn budget marks a sharp increase from the N313.4bn released by the Federal Government for the 2023 general elections.
INEC Budget Breakdown
INEC Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan, disclosed this while presenting the commission’s 2026 budget proposal and projected 2027 election cost before the National Assembly Joint Committee on Electoral Matters in Abuja.
According to him, the N873.78bn election budget is structured across five major components:
- N379.75bn – Operational costs
- N92.32bn – Administrative costs
- N209.21bn – Technological costs
- N154.91bn – Election capital costs
- N42.61bn – Miscellaneous expenses
Prof Amupitan explained that the budget was prepared in line with Section 3(3) of the Electoral Act 2022, which mandates INEC to prepare its election budget at least one year before a general election.
He maintained that the proposed figure does not include a fresh request from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) seeking increased allowances for corps members engaged as ad hoc election staff.
INEC 2026 Fiscal Proposal
For 2026, Yakubu said the Ministry of Finance provided a budget envelope of N140bn, but INEC is proposing a total expenditure of N171bn.
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The breakdown includes:
- N109bn – Personnel costs
- N18.7bn – Overheads
- N42.63bn – Election-related activities
- N1.4bn – Capital expenditure
He criticised the envelope budgeting system, arguing that it is unsuitable for INEC’s operations, which often require urgent and flexible funding.
Prof Amupitan also identified the absence of a dedicated communications network as a major operational challenge, noting that developing an independent network infrastructure would improve transparency and accountability in the event of technical disruptions.
Lawmakers React
Former Edo State governor and Senator, Adams Oshiomhole, said external agencies should not dictate INEC’s budgeting framework given the sensitive nature of its mandate. He called for an end to the envelope budgeting model.
Similarly, Billy Osawaru, a member of the House of Representatives, urged that INEC’s budget be placed on first-line charge as provided in the Constitution to ensure timely and full release of funds.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on INEC, Simon Lalong, assured that the National Assembly would work closely with the commission to ensure adequate support for the 2027 elections.
Likewise, the Chairman of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, Bayo Balogun, pledged legislative backing but cautioned the commission against making commitments it might not fulfil.
The joint committee approved a motion recommending a one-time release of INEC’s annual budget and said it would also consider the NYSC’s request for about N32bn to increase allowances for corps members engaged for election duties to N125,000 each.
Nigeria is scheduled to hold its next general election in 2027, while Ekiti and Osun states will conduct governorship elections this year, alongside elections in the Federal Capital Territory and pending by-elections.
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