INEC Plans Audit and Mock Election for 2027 Elections

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is contemplating a comprehensive audit of its electoral technology systems alongside conducting a mock presidential election as part of its preparations for the 2027 general elections. This disclosure was made by INEC Chairman Professor Joash Amupitan on Thursday during a courtesy visit from British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery, at the commission's headquarters in Abuja.

Amupitan stated that the proposal for these exercises arises from concerns regarding the reliability of electoral technology highlighted during the 2023 general elections. He explained that the commission is exploring ways to actualize these requirements, given their potential value in strengthening the credibility of the upcoming elections.

The INEC chairman linked this proposal to a broader effort to ensure technological reliability and ongoing reviews of the commission's cybersecurity architecture, which includes system redundancy, penetration testing, and disaster recovery mechanisms. He reiterated INEC's commitment to addressing gaps identified in previous elections ahead of 2027.