Nigeria Unprepared for Mandatory Real-Time Result Transmission

Senator Bamidele, the Senate leader, expressed that Nigeria is not ready for mandatory real-time electronic transmission of election results. This statement was made following a debate surrounding Clause 60 (3) of the Electoral Bill 2026.

The Senate initiated a resolution against this clause, which would require the President's office to electronically transmit results from polling units to the INEC results viewing portal (IREV) in real-time. The upper chamber later reviewed the clause and retained electronic transmission but introduced a caveat for internet failure, allowing for manual result sheets (Form EC8A) to serve as primary means of collating results.

Bamidele described Clause 60 (3) as an initiative that the global parliamentary community would typically embrace, but he insisted that Nigeria's current infrastructure presents significant challenges. He cited data from the Nigerian Communications Commission, indicating that broadband coverage stood at 70% in 2025, with internet penetration at 44.53% of the population.

Additionally, Nigeria ranked 85th out of 105 countries in mobile network reliability and 129th out of 150 countries in fixed broadband reliability. Bamidele further argued that power supply challenges undermine the feasibility of compulsory real-time uploads, noting that at least 85 million Nigerians lack access to grid electricity, representing 43% of the population.