The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has requested N873.78 billion to conduct the 2027 general elections, alongside N171 billion to fund its operations in the 2026 fiscal year, a proposal that has triggered sharp reactions and tough questions from lawmakers.
The proposed N873.78bn marks a significant increase from the N313.4bn released by the Federal Government for the 2023 general elections, raising concerns about rising electoral costs amid economic strain.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed the figures while presenting the commission’s 2026 budget proposal and projected 2027 election costs before the National Assembly Joint Committee on Electoral Matters in Abuja.
According to Amupitan, the N873.78bn is meant to cover the full conduct of the 2027 general elections, while the N171bn proposed for 2026 will support routine activities, including by-elections and off-season polls. He noted that the election budget does not include a fresh request from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) seeking increased allowances for corps members who serve as ad hoc staff during elections.
Breaking down the 2027 projection, Amupitan said N379.75bn is earmarked for operational costs, N92.32bn for administrative expenses, N209.21bn for technological costs, N154.91bn for election capital expenditure and N42.61bn for miscellaneous items.
He explained that the budget was prepared in line 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 year, the INEC chairman revealed that although the Ministry of Finance provided a budget envelope of N140bn, the commission is proposing a total expenditure of N171bn. The breakdown includes N109bn for personnel costs, N18.7bn for overheads, N42.63bn for election-related activities and N1.4bn for capital expenditure.
Amupitan criticised the envelope budgeting system, arguing that it is unsuitable for INEC’s operations, which often require urgent and flexible funding. He also identified the absence of a dedicated communications network as a major operational challenge, stating that developing an independent infrastructure would improve transparency and accountability, particularly in the event of technical disruptions.
Lawmakers weighed in on the proposal during the session. Senator Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North) argued that external agencies should not dictate INEC’s budgeting framework, given the sensitive nature of its mandate. He urged the National Assembly to set aside the envelope model and align with INEC’s financial request to avoid underfunding.
Similarly, House of Representatives member Billy Osawaru called for INEC’s budget to be placed on first-line charge, as provided by the Constitution, with funds released in full and on time to facilitate early preparations for 2027.
