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From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has informed the United Kingdom government of its dependent on its deeper collaboration on security, technology, cybersecurity and voter education as it intensifies preparations for next year’s general elections.
INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, made the appeal when he received the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr. Richard Montgomery, at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja yesterday.
The electoral umpire boss described UK as a longstanding partner in Nigeria’s democratic journey, reflecting that the relationship had evolved beyond election observation and technical assistance into broader institutional support for strengthening democratic governance.
Amupitan explained that the commission had made significant progress in preparing for the 2027 polls despite a compressed electoral timetable, including the rollout of enhanced technology, improved cybersecurity architecture and expanded voter registration.
He further explained that the commission recently extended the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise by two weeks to allow more eligible Nigerians to register before the statutory deadline.
According to him; “We decided to extend the registration to ensure that those who did not have the opportunity to register are not left out. At the same time, we must comply with the legal timelines for publishing the voters’ register ahead of the elections.”
The chairman also noted that: “the commission had introduced additional digital services that allow eligible voters to begin registration online before completing the process physically at designated centres.
“We have equally strengthened our technological infrastructure through upgrades of voter accreditation and result management systems while conducting extensive cybersecurity assessments, including penetration testing, disaster recovery planning and software resilience reviews.”
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Amupitan also disclosed that INEC is working closely with security agencies through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) to protect election personnel, infrastructure and voters.
The electoral umpire boss explained that regular consultations were also being held with political parties, civil society organisations and the media to promote peaceful and credible elections.
While identifying key areas Nigeria and the UK could deepen cooperation, the commission’s chairman enumerated them as election technology, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, combating misinformation and disinformation, crisis communication, conflict prevention, civic education and the inclusion of women, youths and persons with disabilities in the electoral process.
He added that the commission is also interested in knowledge exchange programmes and specialised training for election officials, stressing: “We value our partnership with the UK and look forward to strengthening cooperation in areas such as election technology, cybersecurity, voter education and combating misinformation as we prepare for the 2027 general elections.”
Speaking earlier, the British High Commissioner reaffirmed UK’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s democratic institutions, describing the relationship between both countries as a strategic partnership.
He revealed that his team and himself had been engaging INEC to better understand the commission’s level of preparations for the upcoming off-cycle governorship elections in Osun and the 2027 general elections.
“We regard ourselves as partners in Nigeria’s democratic journey. We have a strong interest in supporting the country’s democratic process and hope our engagement will be seen as a sign of both moral support and practical cooperation,” he noted.
The envoy noted that the UK and Nigeria had strengthened bilateral relations in recent years through expanded cooperation in trade, security, migration, justice and governance.
Disclosing that he would complete his diplomatic assignment in Nigeria in about six weeks, Montgomery expressed confidence that his successor would continue building a productive relationship with INEC as preparations for the 2027 elections gather momentum.
