Concern is mounting over the delayed release of about N371 billion to the Independent National Electoral Commission for the conduct of the 2027 general elections, with the commission warning that sustained funding is essential for effective planning, logistics and security.
The development comes 111 days before the January 16, 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections, which will constitute the first phase of the general elections. Governorship and State House of Assembly elections are scheduled for February 6, 2027.
INEC had projected a total of N873.78 billion for the 2027 elections. Of this amount, about N500 billion had been released to the commission by June, leaving an outstanding balance of approximately N371 billion.
The proposed election budget covers several areas, including election operations, administration, technology, capital expenditure and other related activities. According to the breakdown reported by Vanguard, about N379.75 billion was earmarked for election operations, N92.31 billion for administration, N209.21 billion for technology, N154.91 billion for capital expenditure and approximately N42.61 billion for miscellaneous expenses.
The funding gap has become significant because several electoral preparations require substantial lead time. These include the production and distribution of Permanent Voter Cards, procurement of sensitive and non-sensitive materials, acquisition of additional Bimodal Voter Accreditation System devices, technology deployment, payment of contractors, transportation and other nationwide logistics.
INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, previously acknowledged the commission’s concerns over funding, while noting that the release of more than N500 billion represented progress.
Haruna said the commission still had outstanding financial obligations from previous electoral cycles, including debts to contractors and other commitments. He also disclosed that INEC officials had travelled to China to finalise arrangements for the procurement of additional BVAS equipment.
The commission’s position is that the availability of funds is directly linked to its ability to complete critical preparations on schedule.
The funding issue has also generated questions about how the N500 billion already released has been utilised. Stakeholders have called for greater clarity regarding procurement commitments, contractor payments, PVC production and distribution, technology expenditure, staff training, voter education and logistics.
Such questions, however, do not by themselves establish financial wrongdoing. Rather, they underscore the importance of transparency and accountability as the commission moves closer to the elections.
INEC has also reported progress in implementing its preparations for the 2027 polls. The commission said activities including voter registration, display of the preliminary voters’ register, procurement of electoral materials and training of personnel were underway or had been completed at different stages.
INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, has repeatedly stressed the importance of adequate funding for electoral logistics and security. Speaking at a conference involving senior police officers in Owerri, Imo State, Amupitan said financial constraints could affect the ability of electoral institutions to deploy personnel and materials effectively across the country.
He argued that election expenditure should be treated as a national responsibility because the electoral process involves extensive logistical and security requirements.
The chairman also urged security agencies to maintain professionalism and neutrality ahead of the elections, stressing the importance of intelligence gathering and effective coordination among agencies.
The funding concerns are not entirely new. In June, major political parties, including the African Democratic Congress, Peoples Democratic Party and Nigeria Democratic Congress, had raised concerns about delays in releasing funds to INEC. They warned that prolonged delays could disrupt procurement schedules and affect confidence in the electoral process. INEC, however, said at the time that its preparations remained on track.
As the January 2027 elections draw closer, attention is now focused on the timing of the release of the outstanding N371 billion and the commission’s deployment of the funds already received.
For INEC, the challenge is not only securing the remaining resources but ensuring that funds arrive early enough to allow procurement, training, technology deployment, logistics and other preparations to be completed without last-minute pressure.
With the first round of the 2027 general elections scheduled for January 16, stakeholders are expected to continue monitoring the commission’s financial position and preparedness as the country moves closer to the polls.
