By Desire Emmanuel
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has submitted a proposed budget of ₦873.78 billion that it plans to spend for the conduct of 2027 general election.
The commission also requested for ₦171 billion for its 2026 operations, including by-elections and off-season polls.
INEC Chairman, Professor Josh Amupitan, presented these figures to the National Assembly Joint Committee on Electoral Matters in Abuja on Thursday, February 12.
He said the proposals complied with the Electoral Act 2022, which requires election budgets to be prepared at least one year in advance.
According to the chairman, the 2027 election budget breakdown are:
Operational costs- N379.75 billion
Administrative costs – N92.32 billion
Technological costs – N209.21 billion
Election capital costs – N154.91 billion
Miscellaneous expenses – N42.61 billion This amount represents a significant increase from the ₦313.4 billion spent for the 2023 general elections.
The breakdown for the 2026 budget proposal for its operation are:
Personnel costs – N109 billion
Overheads – N18.7 billion
Election-related activities – N42.63 billion
Capital expenditure – N1.4 billion
The INEC Chairman therefore said it was imperative for the commission to get the money in order to make adequate preparations for the election.
