INEC says it has begun distributing non-sensitive materials as preparations intensify for the January 16, 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has commenced the distribution of non-sensitive election materials to some states as preparations intensify for Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
Also read: INEC: We won’t rest until 2027 election is done
INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja at a national stakeholders’ meeting held as the commission entered the final phase of preparations for the elections.
Amupitan said the early movement of materials was part of a broader logistics strategy aimed at preventing last-minute pressure and ensuring that critical resources reach the states ahead of election day.
“Some states have started receiving some non-sensitive materials ahead of the election,” he said, adding that procurement for ballot papers and result sheets was also nearing completion.
He said offshore production and fleet contracts had been awarded, while production of 57,000 new Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, devices was at an advanced stage.
The commission has separately confirmed that it has acquired the 57,000 new BVAS devices to strengthen its technological capacity for the 2027 elections.
Existing devices have also undergone software hardening, battery optimisation and biometric calibration, measures INEC says are designed to improve accreditation and reduce opportunities for manipulation.
The technology upgrade comes as INEC prepares to administer elections involving a national voter register that has now risen above 103 million following the completion of the three-phase Continuous Voter Registration exercise and final biometric cleanup.
Amupitan said delivery of new operational vehicles was ongoing nationwide, while construction and civil works were progressing alongside the establishment of dedicated BVAS storage facilities and renovations of INEC offices across the country.
He added that the commission had also awarded a contract for solar power installations across its offices as part of efforts to improve operational resilience.
On information and communications technology, Amupitan said upgrades to critical applications and core infrastructure had been implemented.
“The procurement department continues to monitor suppliers, contractors, and interdepartmental delivery schedules closely, so that all the procurement aligns with our statutory timelines,” he said.
The commission’s preparations are taking place against a compressed electoral calendar.
INEC’s current official timetable places the presidential and National Assembly elections on January 16, 2027, while governorship and State House of Assembly elections are scheduled for February 6, 2027.
The early distribution of non-sensitive materials is therefore significant because such items can be moved ahead of the final election-day logistics, allowing the commission to concentrate closer to polling day on sensitive materials and other time-critical operations.
INEC has also said it is targeting simultaneous commencement of voting across polling units nationwide, with Amupitan stressing that logistics must improve sufficiently to prevent voters from being subjected to unnecessary delays.
The commission has been particularly focused on lessons from previous elections, including challenges surrounding technology, logistics and the management and transmission of results.
As part of its response, INEC is introducing an enhanced electronic EC8A system designed to digitise polling unit result sheets, authenticate them and upload them to the commission’s Result Viewing Portal.
The preparations also extend beyond equipment and infrastructure.
INEC has announced that nationwide Permanent Voter Card collection will begin on Friday, October 9, following the completion of processing and distribution of the first phase of PVCs to local government centres.
With more than 103 million voters now on the register, the scale of the logistical operation facing the commission is substantial.
The voter figure includes more than 10.7 million new registrations recorded during the latest CVR exercise, subject to the commission’s biometric verification processes.
Amupitan has repeatedly emphasised that INEC’s preparations must be matched by public confidence in the electoral process.
He has said the commission has no preferred candidate or political party and has pledged neutrality in the conduct of the elections.
The chairman has also warned political actors against violence, vote-buying and other conduct capable of undermining the credibility of the polls, saying INEC will work with relevant law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies to monitor electoral offences.
For INEC, the immediate challenge is now to convert its procurement and infrastructure plans into a fully coordinated field operation before January.
Also read: INEC: We won’t rest until 2027 election is done
With materials already moving to states, new BVAS devices in production and upgrades continuing across its offices and technology systems, the commission is signalling that preparations for the 2027 election are moving from planning into increasingly visible operational deployment.
