By Christiana Ekpa
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday proposed a staggering N873.778 billion for the conduct of the 2027 general elections, signaling early preparations for what could be one of Nigeria’s most expensive electoral exercises.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed this on Wednesday while presenting the Commission’s 2026 budget proposal and projected 2027 election cost before the National Assembly Joint Committee on Electoral Matters.
He clarified that the N873.778 billion earmarked for the 2027 polls is separate from INEC’s proposed N171 billion budget for the 2026 fiscal year, which covers routine operations, including by-elections and off-cycle governorship polls.
Breakdown of the 2027 Election Budget Prof. Amupitan explained that the nearly N1 trillion estimate is structured across five key components:
N379.748 billion for operational costs
N92.317 billion for administrative costs
N209.206 billion for technological costs
N154.905 billion for election capital costs
N42.608 billion for miscellaneous expenses
He noted that the projection does not include a fresh request by the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) seeking increased allowances for Corps members deployed as ad-hoc election staff.
The INEC chairman said the budget proposal complies with Section 3(3) of the Electoral Act 2022, which mandates the Commission to prepare and submit its election budget at least one year before a general election.
INEC Challenges Budget Envelope On the 2026 fiscal year, Prof. Amupitan revealed that the Ministry of Finance provided the Commission with a N140 billion budget envelope. However, INEC is proposing a total expenditure of N171 billion.
The 2026 proposal includes:
N109 billion for personnel costs
N18.7 billion for overheads
N42.63 billion for election-related activities
N1.4 billion for capital expenditure Amupitan argued that the envelope budgeting system is ill-suited to INEC’s operations, stressing that the Commission’s responsibilities often require urgent and flexible funding arrangements.
He also identified the absence of a dedicated communications network as a major operational challenge, noting that developing an independent infrastructure would enhance transparency and allow Nigerians to hold the Commission accountable for any technical failures.
Lawmakers Back Funding Autonomy
Reacting to the presentation, Senator Adams Oshiomhole (Edo North) said external agencies should not dictate INEC’s budgeting framework given the sensitive and constitutional nature of its mandate.
He urged that the envelope system be set aside for the Commission, insisting that Parliament should work with INEC’s actual requirements to avoid recurring complaints of underfunding.
Similarly, Edo lawmaker 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 enable proper planning and execution of its duties.
The Joint Committee subsequently approved a motion recommending the one-time release of the Commission’s annual budget.
NYSC Allowance Under Review
The committee also disclosed that it would consider the NYSC’s request for about N32 billion to raise allowances for Corps members engaged in election duties to N125,000 each.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on INEC, Senator Simon Lalong, assured the Commission of legislative support to ensure the successful conduct of the 2027 general elections.
Warning Over Unrealistic Promises
However, Chairman of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, Rep. Bayo Balogun, cautioned INEC against making commitments it may struggle to fulfill.
He recalled that during the last general election, the Commission made strong assurances about uploading results to the INEC Result Viewing (IREV) portal, creating the impression of real-time monitoring.
“Meanwhile, the IREV was not even in the Electoral Act; it was only in INEC regulations. So, be careful how you make promises,” Balogun warned.
With early budget projections now on the table and lawmakers weighing funding autonomy and accountability, the road to the 2027 general elections has officially begun.statement concluded.
