The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has informed the National Assembly that it requires N873.78 billion to conduct the 2027 general elections in Nigeria.
In addition, the commission proposed N171 billion for its 2026 fiscal operations, bringing the total projected funding close to N1 trillion ahead of the next electoral cycle.
The proposal represents a significant increase compared to the N313.4 billion released by the Federal Government for the 2023 general elections.
Breakdown of INEC’s N873.78bn 2027 Election Budget
INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, disclosed the figures while presenting the commission’s 2026 budget proposal and 2027 election cost projection before the National Assembly Joint Committee on Electoral Matters in Abuja.
According to him, the election budget is structured into five key components:
N379.75bn – Operational costs
N92.32bn – Administrative costs
N209.21bn – Technological costs
N154.91bn – Election capital costs
N42.61bn – Miscellaneous expenses
Amupitan explained that the budget was prepared in compliance with Section 3(3) of the Electoral Act 2022, which mandates INEC to submit its election budget at least one year before a general election.
2026 Budget Proposal: INEC Seeks N171bn
For the 2026 fiscal year, INEC proposed N171bn, despite receiving a N140bn budget envelope from the Ministry of Finance.
The breakdown includes:
N109bn – Personnel costs
N18.7bn – Overheads
N42.63bn – Election-related activities (including by-elections and off-season polls)
N1.4bn – Capital expenditure
Amupitan argued that the envelope budgeting system is unsuitable for INEC’s operations, noting that election management often requires urgent and flexible funding arrangements.
NYSC Allowance Not Included in Election Budget
The INEC Chairman clarified that the N873.78bn proposal does not include a fresh request from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), which is seeking approximately N32bn to increase allowances to N125,000 per corps member engaged as ad hoc election staff.
The joint committee said it would consider the NYSC’s request separately.
Lawmakers Debate INEC Funding Structure
Senator Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North) argued that external agencies should not dictate INEC’s budgeting framework due to the sensitive nature of its constitutional mandate. He advocated scrapping the envelope budgeting model to prevent underfunding.
Similarly, House of Representatives member Billy Osawaru called for INEC’s budget to be placed on first-line charge, ensuring full and timely release of funds for early preparation ahead of 2027.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on INEC, Simon Lalong, assured the commission of legislative support.
Meanwhile, House Committee Chairman on Electoral Matters, Bayo Balogun, cautioned INEC against making commitments it may struggle to fulfil, referencing concerns raised during the 2023 elections over the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV).
Communication Network Identified as Major Challenge
INEC also highlighted the absence of a dedicated communications network as a major operational challenge. Amupitan noted that developing an independent infrastructure would enhance accountability and reduce technical disruptions during elections.
