The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has sought deeper collaboration with the United Kingdom in the areas of election security, technology, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, voter education, and combating misinformation as part of its preparations for the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, made the request on Thursday while receiving the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr. Richard Montgomery, at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja. He described the United Kingdom as one of Nigeria’s longstanding democratic partners whose support has evolved beyond election observation and technical assistance to broader institutional cooperation aimed at strengthening democratic governance.
Amupitan said the Commission has made substantial progress in its preparations for the 2027 polls despite operating within a compressed electoral timetable. According to him, INEC has continued to modernise its electoral processes through enhanced technology, stronger cybersecurity systems, expanded voter registration and sustained engagement with key stakeholders.
He disclosed that the Commission recently extended the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise by an additional two weeks to ensure that more eligible Nigerians are captured before the statutory deadline.
“We decided to extend the registration to ensure that those who did not have the opportunity to register are not left out. At the same time, we must comply with the legal timelines for publishing the voters’ register ahead of the elections,” he said.
The INEC chairman explained that the Commission has also expanded its digital services by allowing eligible voters to commence registration online before completing the biometric capture at designated registration centres across the country.
He further revealed that INEC has significantly strengthened its technological infrastructure through upgrades to its voter accreditation and result management systems while undertaking comprehensive cybersecurity assessments, including penetration testing, disaster recovery planning and software resilience reviews, to safeguard the integrity of the electoral process.
Amupitan stressed that election security remains a major priority, noting that the Commission is working closely with security agencies under the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) to protect election personnel, facilities, materials and voters before, during and after elections.
Beyond security, he said INEC continues to maintain regular consultations with political parties, civil society organisations, the media and other stakeholders to build confidence in the electoral process and promote peaceful, transparent and credible elections.
Highlighting areas where Nigeria and the United Kingdom could deepen cooperation, Amupitan identified election technology, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, crisis communication, conflict prevention, voter and civic education, combating misinformation and disinformation, as well as promoting the participation of women, youths and persons with disabilities in the electoral process.
He also called for expanded knowledge-sharing initiatives and specialised capacity-building programmes for election officials, stressing that such collaboration would further strengthen the Commission’s ability to deliver credible elections.
“We value our partnership with the UK and look forward to strengthening cooperation in areas such as election technology, cybersecurity, voter education, and combating misinformation as we prepare for the 2027 general elections,” Amupitan stated.
Earlier, the British High Commissioner reaffirmed the United Kingdom’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s democratic institutions, describing the relationship between both countries as a strategic partnership built on shared democratic values and longstanding cooperation.
Montgomery said his visit formed part of ongoing engagements with INEC to gain a clearer understanding of the Commission’s level of preparedness for the forthcoming Osun State off-cycle governorship election and the 2027 general elections.
“We regard ourselves as partners in Nigeria’s democratic journey. We have a strong interest in supporting the country’s democratic process and hope our engagement will be seen as a sign of both moral support and practical cooperation,” he said.
The envoy noted that bilateral relations between Nigeria and the United Kingdom have continued to expand in recent years through increased cooperation in trade, security, justice, migration and governance, adding that democratic stability remains central to the partnership.
