The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the United Kingdom have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s electoral process ahead of the 2027 General Election.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, stated this on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, when he received the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Pete Vowles, and his delegation on a courtesy visit to the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
Amupitan said INEC was committed to conducting free, fair, credible and inclusive elections, stressing the importance of sustained international partnerships in strengthening democratic institutions and electoral integrity.
He described the visit as a continuation of the longstanding relationship between Nigeria and the United Kingdom, founded on shared commitments to democratic governance and institutional development.
The INEC chairman highlighted the Commission’s achievements in recent off-cycle governorship elections in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun states, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections and 16 legislative by-elections across the country.
He identified improvements in election logistics, deployment of personnel and materials, the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), timely uploading of polling unit results to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal, intelligence-driven security collaboration and result management as key areas of progress.
He also noted improvements in inclusive voting arrangements for persons with disabilities, pregnant women and elderly voters.
On preparations for the 2027 elections, Amupitan disclosed that the Commission had completed nine of the 14 activities on its revised timetable and schedule of activities, while operational readiness assessments were ongoing across the six geopolitical zones.
He revealed that Nigeria’s National Register of Voters had exceeded 103 million, adding that INEC was conducting a nationwide Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) collection exercise across all 774 local government areas.
According to him, collection centres have been decentralised to registration area and ward levels to improve accessibility for eligible voters.
The chairman further disclosed that the INEC Candidates Nomination Portal (ICNP) had been deployed to process nominations for 21 of the country’s 22 registered political parties.
He added that the Commission had procured 57,000 BVAS devices to strengthen its technological capacity ahead of the elections.
Other preparations include the procurement of election materials for 176,846 polling units, improved logistics and supply-chain arrangements, and early security coordination through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES).
While appreciating the United Kingdom’s longstanding support for Nigeria’s electoral development through technical assistance, capacity building, gender mainstreaming, voter education and institutional policy development, Amupitan called for expanded cooperation in critical areas.
He identified cybersecurity and technological integrity, specialised training for electoral personnel, strategic communication, combating disinformation and hate speech, and strengthening voter education as priority areas for further collaboration.
He also emphasised the need to promote inclusive electoral participation, particularly among youths, women and marginalised groups.
Amupitan noted that the credibility of Nigeria’s democracy had implications beyond its borders, with significant consequences for peace, stability and economic development across West Africa and the African continent.
In his response, Vowles, who disclosed that he had been in Nigeria for approximately eight weeks, thanked the Commission for the reception and explained that his visit was primarily to familiarise himself with INEC’s operations and obtain firsthand information about its preparations for the 2027 elections.
He stressed the importance of Nigeria’s democracy to its citizens, the West African sub-region and the international community.
The British envoy described the forthcoming general election as an important opportunity for Nigeria to demonstrate how a strong democracy could function effectively in a large and diverse country.
He also commended the opportunity to engage with the Commission and gain a deeper understanding of its electoral preparations.
The meeting underscored the importance of sustained international cooperation in strengthening electoral institutions, promoting democratic accountability and building public confidence ahead of the 2027 General Election.
