Nigeria's INEC faces funding shortfall and delays access‑code release for 2027 election

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) warns that the budget it submitted for the 2027 general election – about ₦903.78 billion – far exceeds the funds currently allocated by the Ministry of Finance. A new provision in the Electoral Act 2026 reduces the legal deadline for the government to release election funds to six months before the poll, creating a gap between needed front‑loaded activities such as voter registration, primaries and technology procurement and the timing of financing. INEC officials say the ₦140 billion presently available will barely cover baseline costs and that additional funding is needed to avoid logistical failures on election day.

In a related operational step, INEC moved the release of the electronic access code that parties use to upload nomination forms from Friday, 26 June, to Monday, 29 June. The change is intended to give parties sufficient time to submit candidates’ details for the presidential, senatorial, and other contests. The Peoples Democratic Party has already presented certificates of return to its nominated candidates and instructed them to return completed forms within 72 hours for upload to the INEC portal.