AU tasks INEC on readiness for 2027 polls

By Myke Uzendu

The African Union (AU) has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to provide details of its level of preparedness for the 2027 general elections, particularly on voter registration, technology, logistics, funding, inclusivity and public confidence.

The AU made the enquiries when its Pre-Election and Needs Assessment Mission, led by former Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Demeke Mekonnen, paid a courtesy visit to the electoral commission in Abuja on Tuesday.

The mission, which is in Nigeria from September 13 to 19, 2026, said its objective was to assess the country’s electoral preparedness, identify potential gaps and recommend possible remedies ahead of the elections.

Mekonnen said INEC was one of the key stakeholders the delegation had prioritised because of its central role in the electoral process.

He said the mission was supportive rather than supervisory, adding that the AU delegation wanted to understand the commission’s preparations and identify areas where additional support might be required.

According to him, the minimum standards for an election should include credibility, transparency, fairness and inclusivity, with a level playing field for all political actors.

The former Ethiopian deputy prime minister said the delegation was particularly interested in INEC’s readiness across the pre-election, election and post-election phases.

He asked whether the voter register would be finalised in time and whether it would be credible and ready for scrutiny by stakeholders and the public.

Mekonnen also sought clarification on the commission’s preparedness to deploy technology, particularly the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), in light of lessons from previous elections.

He said the delegation was also interested in the logistical and operational challenges associated with conducting elections in a country as large and geographically diverse as Nigeria.

“From the election process, pre-election periods, the election periods, and the post-election cases are the important and sequential process of this. The pre-election period is the most important one,” he said.

The AU delegation also asked whether INEC had received adequate and timely funding for the 2027 elections, stressing that resources were essential to conducting credible, transparent and fair elections.

Mekonnen further sought information on measures being taken to promote inclusion, particularly the participation of youths, women and other groups in voter registration and the broader electoral process.

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