The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has projected that it will require ₦873.78 billion to conduct the 2027 general elections and is requesting ₦171 billion to fund its activities in 2026, signalling a significant rise in projected electoral spending.
INEC Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan said the proposed election allocation is intended to cover the full execution of nationwide polls, while the separate 2026 request would finance routine duties, including by-elections and staggered contests across states.
He noted that the financial plan does not include a recent request from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) for higher allowances for corps members deployed as temporary election staff, suggesting that additional funding pressures may still arise.
Amupitan presented the figures on Thursday to the National Assembly Joint Committee on Electoral Matters in Abuja, outlining that the nearly ₦1 trillion estimate is divided into major cost segments.
“N379.75bn is for operational costs, N92.32bn for administrative costs, N209.21bn for technological costs, N154.91bn for election capital costs and N42.61bn for miscellaneous expenses,” he said.
He explained that the projections were prepared “in line with Section 3(3) of the Electoral Act 2022, which mandates the Commission to prepare its election budget at least one year before the general election,” and stressed that the Finance Ministry’s proposed ₦140 billion spending ceiling falls short of INEC’s requested ₦171 billion.
Breaking down the 2026 request, Amupitan listed ₦109 billion for salaries, ₦18.7 billion for overheads, ₦42.63 billion for election-related programmes, and ₦1.4 billion for capital items, arguing that envelope-style budgeting is unsuitable for an agency requiring flexible and timely funding.
Lawmakers supported a funding model aligned with INEC’s mandate. Senator Adams Oshiomhole said outside bodies should not dictate the commission’s budget structure, while Representative Billy Osawaru called for INEC’s finances to be placed on first-line charge with timely, full releases.
The committee endorsed a motion recommending a one-time disbursement of the commission’s yearly allocation and said it would review the NYSC’s request for about ₦32 billion to raise election duty allowances to ₦125,000, while warning against unrealistic commitments.
