2027: INEC awaits full budget release to replace damaged BVAS

By Omeiza Ajayi Few months to the 2027 general election, the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC on Wednesday said it was still awaiting the full release of a substantial budget proposed for the polls, even as it moves ahead with plans for a mock presidential election designed to test the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) under conditions similar to election day.

The INEC Chairman disclosed that the Commission is undertaking a comprehensive audit of its electoral technology systems, covering system redundancy, penetration testing and disaster recovery planning, and is exploring the conduct of a mock presidential election ahead of 2027 to test accreditation, transmission and results viewing under conditions similar to election day.

While full release of the funds remains pending, he noted that the Commission’s ICT team has already engaged manufacturers on procurement, with planning for the technology audit and the proposed mock election proceeding alongside budget finalisation.