Yiaga Africa Calls for Clear Election Results Protocol

Yiaga Africa, a non-governmental organization, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to publish a clear protocol regarding the electronic transmission of election results in preparation for the Osun state governorship election on August 15 and the 2027 general election. The organization emphasized that the protocol should detail the entire process of results transmission from polling units to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal, including the roles of election officials and the expected duration of the validation process.

Yiaga Africa's Executive Director, Samson Itodo, presented these recommendations in a policy brief titled “Securing the Votes: Electronic Transmission and Collation of Election Results under Nigeria’s New Legal Framework.” He highlighted that the Electoral Act 2026 mandates the electronic transmission of results, transforming the IReV into an official legal record. The organization also urged INEC to clarify procedures for resolving discrepancies in results and to conduct public mock exercises to enhance transparency.

Laolu Olawunmi from the European Union stressed the importance of public trust in election results management.