The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has formally notified the National Assembly that it requires a budget approaching One Trillion Naira to adequately prepare for and conduct the 2027 general elections, a financial demand that far exceeds its funding in previous electoral cycles. The projection marks what could become one of the most expensive elections in Nigeria’s history.
Presenting the Commission’s budget proposal before the Joint Senate and House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters in Abuja on Thursday, INEC Chairman Professor Joash Amupitan detailed two separate fiscal needs. The first is an estimated N873.78 billion earmarked for the conduct of the 2027 general elections. The second is a proposal of N171 billion for the Commission’s routine operations in the 2026 fiscal year. The election budget projection is distinct from operational costs and is intended to cover nationwide electoral processes, including technology deployment, staffing, logistics, capital expenditure, and administrative functions.
The nearly N874 billion figure reflects Nigeria’s expanding electorate, rising costs due to inflation, foreign exchange volatility, and growing logistical demands, according to INEC leadership. Although the Commission’s request is not yet appropriated, early submission is in line with statutory requirements aimed at facilitating thorough planning and procurement well ahead of the polls.
INEC’s proposed budget for the 2027 elections represents a significant increase compared with what the Commission requested and received in previous general elections. In advance of the February and March 2023 polls, INEC initially proposed approximately N305 billion to underwrite the conduct of the elections. Following deliberations with the National Assembly and adjustments for inflation and operational needs, the approved budget ultimately totalled around N355 billion, of which N313.4 billion was released to INEC by the federal government. The National Assembly also approved a budget in excess of N189 billion for INEC to conduct the 2019 general elections, a substantial increase over prior cycles as the Commission expanded technological and logistical capacities.
Though exact figures for INEC’s requested budget in 2015 are less prominently recorded in publicly accessible documents, estimates based on election cost analyses place the Commission’s expenditure near N108 billion, significantly lower than later election cycles as Nigeria’s voter population and election complexity grew. Taken together, these figures illustrate a steep upward trend in election costs over the last decade. INEC’s budgetary demands have more than eightfold increased from the 2015 cycle to projections for 2027, an indication of both expanded electoral tasks and structural cost pressures within the wider Nigerian economy.
Members of the National Assembly acknowledged the scale of INEC’s requirements, with several lawmakers advocating for reforms to the budgeting mechanism to allow more flexible and timely release of election funds. Some legislators, while supportive of adequate funding, cautioned the Commission against overestimating costs, recalling controversies from previous elections, including issues with technology deployments.
INEC’s estimates for the 2027 elections will now be subjected to review and negotiation by the National Assembly as part of the federal budget process.
Samuel Aina