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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is set to conduct a nationwide mock accreditation exercise in November 2026 to test its electoral technology and equipment ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The exercise will focus on the performance of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and other electoral devices, with the commission using the process to identify and resolve possible operational challenges before election day.
INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, disclosed this on Friday when he received a delegation from the Canadian High Commission led by Canada’s Chargé d’Affaires to Nigeria, David Sproule, at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
Amupitan said the mock accreditation exercise was one of five strategic priorities adopted by INEC as part of its preparations for the 2027 elections.
According to him, the other priorities include consolidating technological gains, expanding electoral inclusion, strengthening institutional capacity and technical support, as well as tackling misinformation and protecting electoral integrity.
“We view the success in Osun not as a final destination, but as the gold standard that will guide our preparations for 2027,” Amupitan was quoted as saying.
The INEC chairman pointed to recent off-cycle elections, including the Anambra State governorship election, FCT Area Council elections and Ekiti State governorship election, as important opportunities for testing electoral reforms and improving the commission’s operations.
He also described the August 15, 2026 Osun governorship election as a major benchmark for the commission.
Amupitan said 3,556 out of 3,763 polling units, representing 94.5 per cent, opened for accreditation and voting by 8:30 a.m. during the election.
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He added that the poll recorded strong BVAS performance, smooth transmission of results through the IReV portal and proactive management of emerging crises.
Beyond technology testing, the commission is also preparing a large workforce for the 2027 elections, with Amupitan disclosing that about 1.4 million ad-hoc personnel would be required to conduct elections across more than 176,000 polling units nationwide.
The chairman further revealed that INEC had created a dedicated Artificial Intelligence (AI) unit to examine responsible applications of the technology in areas including data management, voter registration and results transmission.
He said the initiative would also help the commission strengthen measures against the misuse of AI, including the spread of deepfakes and disinformation.
Amupitan is expected to participate in the Global Conference on Responsible AI and Elections in Ottawa, Canada, from September 9 to 11, 2026, where electoral stakeholders will discuss responsible AI applications and emerging threats to election integrity.
He also reaffirmed INEC’s independence and neutrality, assuring the Canadian delegation and the international community of the commission’s “absolute independence, neutrality, and unyielding commitment to democratic integrity.”
The Canadian delegation, in turn, reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Nigeria’s democratic process, particularly in electoral participation, women’s inclusion, public awareness, technical assistance and election observation.
The 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, while governorship and State House of Assembly elections will take place on February 6, 2027.
Campaigns for the national elections began on Wednesday, while campaigns for the governorship and State House of Assembly elections are scheduled to commence on September 9, 2026.
