The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has projected a total of N873,778,401,602.08 for the conduct of the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan detailed a N832.17 billion price tag for the 2027 general elections.
The budget, submitted alongside the Commission’s 2026 proposal, allocates the largest share—over N375.7 billion—to operational costs.
At the presentation of the budget on Thursday to the National Assembly, the chairman said technology remains a significant priority, with N209.2 billion earmarked for electronic systems, while administrative and capital expenses account for the remaining N92.3 billion and N154.9 billion, respectively.
INEC further included Miscellaneous Expenses totalling N41,608,495,314.39, bringing the Grand Total for the 2027 general elections to N873,778,401,602.08.
Amupitan clarified that the election budget is separate from the Commission’s proposed N171 billion allocation for the 2026 fiscal year, which is intended to cover routine operations, including by-elections and off-cycle polls.
He noted that the submission complies with Section 3(3) of the Electoral Act 2022, which mandates the Commission to present its general election budget at least one year before the poll.
Persecondnews reports that during the session, lawmakers raised concerns over funding mechanisms and the implementation of key provisions of the amended Electoral Act, particularly the electronic transmission of results.
Chairman of the Joint Committee on Electoral Matters, Senator Samuel Lalong, stated that the National Assembly would thoroughly scrutinize the proposal before approving what it considers adequate for seamless nationwide coverage.
He emphasised that while INEC presents its financial estimates, the constitutional responsibility to approve and appropriate funds rests with the legislature.
The committee also indicated plans to review funding for members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to be deployed for election duties, following a request from the scheme for increased financial support.
Under the proposal, each corps member is to receive N127,000, alongside N4,500 for feeding and N5,000 for training over five days.
Approximately 450,000 corps members are expected to be deployed for the forthcoming general elections.
Persecondnews reports that the timing of this proposal is significant, coinciding with the Senate’s controversial revision of the Electoral Act 2022.
While the amendment bill passed on February 4 introduced several changes—such as halving the election notice timeline to 180 days—it was the rejection of Clause 60(3) that drew the most criticism.
The rejected clause would have institutionalized the mandatory real-time electronic transmission of polling unit results via Form EC8A.
By upholding the existing Section 60(5), the Senate ensured that electronic transmission remains a discretionary power of INEC rather than a statutory obligation.
This move prompted widespread demonstrations led by prominent political figures and civil society organizations..
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