INEC Affirms Readiness for Electronic Transmission of Election Results, Addresses Misconceptions

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reaffirmed that Nigeria is fully capable of implementing electronic transmission of election results, countering recent misconceptions and partisan debates questioning its readiness. The Commission emphasized that over a decade of technological innovation, pilots, and collaboration with key stakeholders has equipped it with the tools, processes, and partnerships necessary for secure and reliable electronic result transmission nationwide.

Legal Authority and Mandate
INEC operates under the clear provisions of Paragraph 15, Part I of the Third Schedule to the 1999 Constitution, which empowers it to organize, supervise, and regulate elections for federal and state offices. These powers include setting voting procedures and guidelines for result transmission, and are exercised independently, without requiring approval from any other agency or authority. While INEC partners with institutions such as the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and mobile network operators (MNOs) for technical support, constitutional provisions make it clear that the Commission does not need attestation from these bodies to execute its duties. Section 160 of the Constitution even allows INEC to direct other federal agencies in the execution of tasks necessary for its functions.

Technological Innovations Over the Last Decade
INEC has progressively introduced technology to enhance the credibility, efficiency, and transparency of the electoral process. Key innovations include the INEC Results Viewing (IREV) portal, which publishes scanned images of polling unit results online; online nomination portals for candidates; electronic accreditation of voters through Smart Card Readers (SCRs); and online pre-registration for continuous voter registration, making Nigeria the first African country to implement this system.

The Commission has also conducted extensive pilots to test electronic transmission. Since 2011, elections in diverse settings—from densely populated urban centers to remote rural areas, islands, creeks, and even conflict-affected zones—have been used to evaluate the system’s reliability. These pilots demonstrated that polling unit results could be successfully transmitted electronically across the country, confirming the adequacy of both national ICT infrastructure and mobile network coverage.

Engagement with MNOs and Ensuring Security
INEC has long partnered with the major MNOs—Airtel, Glo, 9Mobile, and MTN—as well as the NCC. These partnerships include bulk SMS services, assignment of dedicated short codes and virtual private networks (VPNs), network mapping for Smart Card Readers, and allocation of sufficient data per SIM card to ensure secure and uninterrupted connectivity.

The 2018 report of the INEC/NCC Joint Technical Committee recommended the allocation of polling units to MNOs, configuration of secure APNs, and provision of one terabyte of data per 10,000 SIMs annually. The estimated cost for implementing these measures—including SIMs, system configuration, integration, and support—was N395.123 million. The Joint Committee concluded that electronic transmission of results was feasible, and INEC maintains that network reliability has only improved since then, making the system even more capable today.

Addressing Misconceptions
INEC has clarified several misunderstandings surrounding electronic transmission. First, challenges with Smart Card Readers (SCRs) are not an indication of unreadiness. SCRs are solely used for biometric voter accreditation, verifying the authenticity of voter cards and matching fingerprints to prevent impersonation, in compliance with Section 49 of the Electoral Act 2010. They are not connected to result transmission and do not require continuous electricity or network connectivity to function.

Second, claims that certain generations of mobile networks, such as 2G, cannot support electronic transmission are inaccurate. All network generations, including 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G, are capable of transmitting data, and MNOs confirmed this capacity during prior assessments.

INEC also emphasized that electronic transmission of results is distinct from electronic balloting or Internet voting. While electronic transmission involves sending and collating results digitally, voting still occurs physically at 176,846 polling units nationwide, with voters personally presenting themselves for accreditation and voting.

The Role of IREV
The IREV portal has been used to test the Commission’s capacity to transmit polling unit results electronically. Although IREV publishes scanned copies of results without electronically collating them for outcome declaration, the portal has proven the adequacy and security of the system and has allowed INEC to refine processes ahead of full implementation.

The Way Forward: Legal Framework and Innovation

INEC stressed the importance of an enabling legal framework to fully implement electronic transmission. Amendments to the Electoral Act should:

• Allow timely adoption of relevant technologies without restricting innovation to specific devices;

• Recognize both manual and electronic processes as legitimate options under INEC’s discretion; and

• Make biometric verification the primary basis for voter accreditation to ensure the integrity of elections.

The Commission reaffirmed its commitment to using technology to improve transparency, efficiency, and credibility. Over the past decade, electronic systems have reduced human interference, accelerated result collation, minimized errors, and facilitated wider access to election data. By maintaining innovation alongside a clear legal mandate, INEC aims to strengthen electoral integrity and enhance public trust in Nigeria’s democratic process.

Conclusion
Through extensive pilots, technological innovation, and collaboration with MNOs and the NCC, INEC has demonstrated that Nigeria is ready for nationwide electronic transmission of election results. With the proper legal framework in place, electronic result transmission promises faster, more transparent, and more credible elections, reducing disputes and reinforcing public confidence in the electoral process.