INEC Proposes N873bn Budget for 2027 General Election

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has proposed a budget of N873.778 billion for the conduct of the 2027 general election, as disclosed by INEC Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan.

This budget was presented to the National Assembly's Joint Committee on Electoral Matters and is separate from the 2026 budget proposal. INEC plans to spend N171 billion on operational costs, which includes conducting elections and other electoral activities.

The budget is structured across five components, with operational costs at N379.748 billion, administrative costs at N92.317 billion, technological costs at N209.206 billion, electoral capital costs at N154.905 billion, and miscellaneous expenses at N42.608 billion. The budget preparation adheres to Section 3(3) of the Electoral Act 2022, which mandates INEC to prepare its electoral budget at least one year before general elections.

The Ministry of Finance has provided a budget envelope of N140 billion, but INEC argues that this is insufficient. The Joint Committee has recommended timely release of the budget to ensure proper planning and execution of the elections.