Electoral Body Announces Mock Accreditation Exercise as Part of Five-Point Preparation Strategy
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will conduct a nationwide mock accreditation exercise in November 2026 to test-run the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and other electoral equipment ahead of the 2027 General Elections.
INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, disclosed this on Friday during a meeting with a delegation from the Canadian High Commission, led by Canada’s Chargé d’Affaires to Nigeria, David Sproule, at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
The mock exercise is part of five strategic priorities adopted by INEC for the 2027 polls, which include:
· Consolidating technological gains
· Deepening electoral inclusion
· Strengthening institutional capacity and technical support
· Countering misinformation while safeguarding electoral integrity
Amupitan highlighted recent off-cycle elections—including the Anambra governorship, FCT Area Council, and Ekiti governorship elections—as proving grounds for electoral reforms. He particularly cited the August 15, 2026 Osun governorship election as a benchmark, where 94.5% of polling units (3,556 of 3,763) opened for accreditation and voting by 8:30 a.m., with optimal BVAS performance and seamless result uploads on the IReV portal.
The INEC chairman also revealed that the Commission will require approximately 1.4 million ad-hoc personnel to conduct the 2027 elections across more than 176,000 polling units nationwide.
In a forward-looking move, INEC has established a dedicated Artificial Intelligence (AI) unit to explore responsible AI applications in data management, voter registration, and results transmission, while strengthening safeguards against misuse. The Commission will also participate in the Global Conference on Responsible AI and Elections in Ottawa, Canada (September 9–11, 2026).
Amupitan reaffirmed INEC’s “absolute independence, neutrality, and unyielding commitment to democratic integrity” to the Canadian delegation and the international community.
The Canadian delegation, in turn, reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s democratic processes, particularly in electoral participation, women’s inclusion, public awareness, technical assistance, and election observation.
Key Dates for 2027 Elections:
· Presidential & National Assembly: January 16, 2027
· Governorship & State Assembly: February 6, 2027
· Governorship/State Assembly Campaigns Begin: September 9, 2026
