The Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) has reaffirmed its commitment to conducting free, fair, credible and inclusive elections in 2027, as it seeks to strengthen its partnership with the United Kingdom.
INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan stated this on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, when he received the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Pete Vowles, on a courtesy visit to the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
Professor Amupitan described the visit as a continuation of the longstanding relationship between Nigeria and the United Kingdom, particularly in promoting democratic integrity and strengthening electoral institutions. He highlighted the Commission’s achievements in recent off-cycle governorship elections in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun States, the FCT Area Council elections and 16 legislative by-elections across the country.
The INEC Chairman identified improvements in election logistics, personnel deployment, the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), timely transmission of polling unit results to the IReV portal, and enhanced security collaboration as some of the Commission’s major achievements.
On preparations for the 2027 general elections, Professor Amupitan disclosed that INEC had completed nine of the 14 activities on its revised timetable, while operational readiness assessments were ongoing across the six geopolitical zones. He also revealed that the National Register of Voters currently stands at over 103 million, with the Commission conducting a nationwide Permanent Voter Cards collection exercise across the 774 Local Government Areas.
The INEC Chairman further disclosed that the Commission had procured 57,000 BVAS devices and was making arrangements for the procurement of election materials for 176,846 polling units nationwide. He identified cybersecurity, technological integrity, strategic communication, specialised training for electoral personnel and combating disinformation and hate speech as key areas where the Commission requires further collaboration with the United Kingdom.
Responding, the British High Commissioner, Pete Vowles, said his visit was aimed at familiarising himself with INEC’s operations and gaining firsthand knowledge of the Commission’s preparations for the 2027 general elections.
Vowles emphasised the importance of Nigeria’s democracy to its citizens, the West African sub-region and the international community, describing the forthcoming elections as an opportunity for Nigeria to demonstrate the effective functioning of democracy in a large and diverse country. He commended INEC for the engagement and expressed appreciation for the opportunity to understand its preparations ahead of the elections.
The meeting underscores ongoing efforts by Nigeria and the United Kingdom to strengthen electoral institutions, promote democratic accountability and enhance public confidence in the 2027 general elections.
